The BJP has found itself in the midst of another political crisis in Uttarakhand as speculations over Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat’s imminent resignation gained momentum.
What has triggered speculation is Rawat’s reported request for a meeting with Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya. Rawat was also scheduled to speak to the media on Friday night.
Meanwhile, news agency ANI reported that BJP MLAs would meet in Dehradun on Saturday under the leadership of state president Madan Kaushik, says State’s media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan.
Several BJP leaders have reportedly put their names forward as Rawat’s replacement. The controversial chief minister was in Delhi on a three-day visit during which he met top BJP leaders including JP Nadda, who’s the national president of the Hindutva party.
Rawat was brought in as a replacement chief minister for Trivendra Singh Rawat, who had served in the post since the BJP won assembly polls in February 2017. He had to win an election within six months of his appointment as the state’s chief minister. The deadline expires in early September.
But the Election Commission is reportedly not keen to hold any elections in view of the corona crisis. The national poll body had faced intense criticism for holding assembly polls in five states earlier this year even when the pandemic killed hundreds of thousands of people.
However, political pundits feel that the decision to change another chief minister with assembly polls just months away shoed the anxiety among the BJP leadership over an adverse outcome early next year.
The BJP has been facing condemnation for allowing the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand earlier this year. The mass gathering by Hindus had acted as super spreaders in worsening the pandemic. According to some estimates, more than 10 million people had gathered in Haridwar to take part in this year’s Kumbh Mela.