Suspense continues over Khanduri's fate

Suspense continued over the fate of Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri who has offered to resign following BJP's rout in Lok Sabha polls, with senior party leaders today saying it was upto the high command to take a decision on the leadership issue.

"There is no change in political situation in Uttarakhand as party high command is still to decide about the leadership issue in Uttarakhand," said Anil Jain, the deputy in-charge of BJP affairs in Uttarakhand after a meeting of party's core committee here.

After offering to resign, Khanduri had last evening said that he had left the decision about his political future on the party central parliamentary board.

At the meeting, Khanduri and his political rival Bhagat Singh Koshiyari were seen together, apparently to send a message that the party was united ahead of the by-elections to the Kapkot assembly constituency which is very crucial for BJP which is still one member short of majority in the House with an effective strength of 68.

Senior party leaders maintained that Khanduri has not resigned and that BJP would win the Kapkot seat with a thumping majority. Jain also said the party leadership was assessing reasons behind the BJP's debacle in Uttarakhand.