NEW DELHI: The political fate of Pushkar Singh Dhamithe youngest ever chief minister of Uttarakhandis likely to be decided at a crucial BJP legislature party meeting on Monday.
The party’s central observers for Uttarakhand, Rajnath Singh and Meenakshi Lekhi, are expected to arrive in Dehradun on Sunday, a day ahead of the meeting.
The swearing-in ceremony may take place on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states likely to attend the event, BJP spokesperson Shadab Shams told PTI.
Since election results of March 10, there has been a question mark over the continuation of chief minister Dhami.
While the BJP registered a comfortable victory in the hill state, CM Dhami lost from the Khatima constituency to Congress’s Bhuwan Kapri.
This triggered speculation that BJP may replace Dhami with state stalwarts such as Chaubattakhal MLA Satpal Maharaj, Shrinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat or Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni.
However, sources told PTI that BJP is likely to persist with Dhami for the top post since he is young and energetic and the saffron party won the elections under his leadership.
Sources added that BJP would also want to avoid another change of guard in Uttarakhand, since it had already replaced its chief minister twice in a single year ahead of the elections.
“If Keshav Prasad Maurya who lost his seat in Uttar Pradesh can be made deputy CM again why can’t Dhami be made chief minister?” a BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said.
However, if the party goes for a new face, the necessity of striking a caste and regional balance will be a deciding factor in the choice of the next chief minister, the sources said.
As Ajay Bhatt, a Brahmin from Kumaon, has already been made a Union minister of state, a Thakur or a Rajput from Garhwal may be chosen for the chief minister’s post to strike the much needed caste and regional balance.
If that is the case then Satpal Maharaj or Dhan Singh Rawat who are prominent Thakur leaders from Garhwal may emerge as favourites.
There is also talk about the new cabinet likely to consist of more young faces and more women.
The new names doing the rounds as probables for ministerial positions are those of Saurabh Bahuguna and Ritu Khanduri Bhushan. Saurabh Bahuguna who won from Sitarganj is former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna’s son and Ritu Khanduri Bhushan who won from Kotdwar is the daughter of BJP veteran and former chief minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri.
(With inputs from PTI)
The party’s central observers for Uttarakhand, Rajnath Singh and Meenakshi Lekhi, are expected to arrive in Dehradun on Sunday, a day ahead of the meeting.
The swearing-in ceremony may take place on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states likely to attend the event, BJP spokesperson Shadab Shams told PTI.
Since election results of March 10, there has been a question mark over the continuation of chief minister Dhami.
While the BJP registered a comfortable victory in the hill state, CM Dhami lost from the Khatima constituency to Congress’s Bhuwan Kapri.
This triggered speculation that BJP may replace Dhami with state stalwarts such as Chaubattakhal MLA Satpal Maharaj, Shrinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat or Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni.
However, sources told PTI that BJP is likely to persist with Dhami for the top post since he is young and energetic and the saffron party won the elections under his leadership.
Sources added that BJP would also want to avoid another change of guard in Uttarakhand, since it had already replaced its chief minister twice in a single year ahead of the elections.
“If Keshav Prasad Maurya who lost his seat in Uttar Pradesh can be made deputy CM again why can’t Dhami be made chief minister?” a BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said.
However, if the party goes for a new face, the necessity of striking a caste and regional balance will be a deciding factor in the choice of the next chief minister, the sources said.
As Ajay Bhatt, a Brahmin from Kumaon, has already been made a Union minister of state, a Thakur or a Rajput from Garhwal may be chosen for the chief minister’s post to strike the much needed caste and regional balance.
If that is the case then Satpal Maharaj or Dhan Singh Rawat who are prominent Thakur leaders from Garhwal may emerge as favourites.
There is also talk about the new cabinet likely to consist of more young faces and more women.
The new names doing the rounds as probables for ministerial positions are those of Saurabh Bahuguna and Ritu Khanduri Bhushan. Saurabh Bahuguna who won from Sitarganj is former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna’s son and Ritu Khanduri Bhushan who won from Kotdwar is the daughter of BJP veteran and former chief minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri.
(With inputs from PTI)