Uttarakhand: Ruling Congress govt in crisis as 9 MLAs rebel, BJP stakes claim

BJP members are saying that the party is set to stake claim to form government in Uttarakhand as Harish Rawat led govt is now in minority.

"Alpmat mein sarkar aa gayi, sarkar hai kahan? Sarkar chali gayi, nayi sarkar ayegi ab (The government is in minority, a new government), said Bhagat Singh Koshyari, BJP MP on Uttarkhand crisis.

As many as ten Congress legislators, besides BJP and BSP MLAs, are set to meet Governor KK Paul at Raj Bhawan on Friday evening after Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal rejected their demand of voice vote on the Finance Bill.  Earlier, a scuffle broke out between Uttarakhand Ministers Harak Singh Rawat and Mantri Prasad Nethani inside the state assembly over the demand for voice vote on the Finance Bill. 

The Assembly had witnessed an uproar after Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal rejected the opposition's demand for a voice vote on the Finance Bill, and passed it. Supporters of Harak Singh Rawat raised slogans in his support and were seen arguing with the Chief Minister's supporters. 

The rebels are led by former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna and Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat. The Congress currently has 36 seats in the 71-seat Uttarakhand Assembly. 

We're going to ask the Governor to dismiss the govt: BJP MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari outside Uttarakhand Raj Bhavan pic.twitter.com/w0FC4sykKl

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2016

Heated arguments between two groups of Congress MLAs outside Uttarakhand Assembly pic.twitter.com/hNSx2qD4UK

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 18, 2016

Reports claim that the Congress led-government in Uttarakhand is in a precarious situation, with 12 rebel Congress MLAs expected to cross vote during the Budget. The rebels are led by former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna and Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat. 

The Congress currently has 36 seats in the 71-seat Uttarakhand Assembly.