Cong, BJP haggle over power in Uttarakhand

BJP and Congress jockey for power in Uttarakhand as the rival parties claimed today they will form the next government intensifying efforts to woo independents and BSP legislators to their side to muster the required majority.

Congress said it would form the government in the hill state after the new CLP leader is chosen by the party high command.

"Let the new leader be chosen by the party high command, thereafter we will form government also," said state PCC chief Yashpal Arya, a day after Congress President Sonia Gandhi was authorised to choose the new leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

Congress, which is inching close to form new government, also claimed it has mustered the required numbers for the same.

"We have all the numbers which are enough to form new government," Arya told reporters in Dehradun.

While Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 32 seats in the 70-member House, BJP finished one less seat in a cliff-hanger contest for the state assembly polls.

BSP has won three seats, Uttarkhand Kranti Dal one and independents three.

Despite falling short of numbers, BJP claimed that it will form the next government and continue to be in power.

"We will play Holi in Uttarakhand...Congress will not be able to form government there," BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters in New Delhi.

Kumar claimed that with party forming government in Goa and retaining power in Punjab with its ally SAD, BJP had started celebrating the festival of colours from March 6 itself when results to five assembly polls were declared.

Arya said a group of observers is also being sent by the party high command to Dehradun to take views of the newly elected MLAs.

In the last night meeting of the CLP, Congress General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in the state, Chaudhary Berendra Singh also held separate talks with a host of newly elected party MLAs in this regard, party sources said.

Arya said once the CLP's new leader is announced, the party would stake claim before Governor Margaret Alva for the formation of the new government.