Core group meeting of BJP triggers speculations on political change
The adjournment of the budget session of Uttarakhand assembly, the decision of the BJP to hold a meeting of its core group in Dehradun on Saturday coupled with the arrival of the BJP national vice president Raman Singh as an observer for the meeting and rush of several leaders including the MLAs from Bharadisain to Dehradun by helicopter fuelled speculation on a political turmoil in the state. However, the BJP State president Banshidhar Bhagat put the speculations to rest stressing that the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat will complete his full term in office. He averred that the core group had met to discuss the programme to be held across the state on March 18 to mark four years of the state government in office. Dispelling all doubts, the CM himself said later that everything is okay.
The budget session of Uttarakhand assembly was scheduled to function till Sunday but the house was adjourned by speaker on Saturday afternoon after passage of the budget. Immediately after the adjournment CM Rawat and several of his cabinet colleagues left the summer capital by helicopter for Dehradun to attend the core group meeting. Several MLAs also used choppers to fly to Dehradun to attend the meeting. The meeting of the core group was deferred twice to ensure the presence of more leaders. A senior leader of the party told The Pioneer that the leadership issue was discussed in the meeting but added that there is no threat to the position of the CM.
In Dehradun, Raman Singh, BJP State in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam, CM Rawat, Bhagat, MPs and other members of the core group met in the Bijapur safe house. Talking to media persons after the meeting, the BJP state president said that the programme to be held in all assembly constituencies on March 18 to mark four years of the state government in office was discussed in the meeting. He said that there was no uncertainty regarding the CM, adding that Rawat will complete his full term in office. Responding to media queries, cabinet minister Madan Kaushik said that there was nothing unusual in the core group meeting, adding that it is held periodically and attended by some senior party leader. Kaushik further said that the budget session had been adjourned on time after functioning as decided by the business advisory committee. He also reiterated that the programme to be held on March 18 was the main point of discussion in the core group meeting. After the core group meeting, the senior party leaders and MLAs went to the CM residence where Rawat introduced various MLAs to Raman Singh.
Sunday, 07 March 2021 | PNS |Dehradun/Bharadisain
