U'khand CM using unfair tactics to lure rebel Congress MLAs: BJP

Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly, Ajay Bhat, today said that they would urge President Pranab Mukherjee to order a floor test at the earliest as Chief Minister Harish Rawat is resorting to unfair tactics to lure the rebel Congress MLAs.

Bhat said the decision to topple the government was taken to save the people of Uttarakhand from a corrupt Congress regime in the state.

"The President will meet us at 7 o'clock. We have come here to meet the President to tell him how the parliamentary ethics were torn into pieces in Uttarakhand. There is an atmosphere of fear and corruption in Uttarakhand today because of the same the Congress MLAs listened to their inner voices and moved out," Bhat told ANI.

"The house of 71 MLAs is complete. Three MLAs were absent that day and Vidhan Sabha Speaker cannot vote unless there is a tie. So, there were 67 out of which we had 35 and Congress had 32. Immediate action should be taken, whoever has the majority. There should be no uncertainty. Our MLAs and (nine) Congress legislator are being offered money. Harish Rawat is resorting to all sorts of unfair means," he added.

Bhat's remark came ahead of the 35 MLAs, including 26 BJP and nine rebel Congress legislators, meeting President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here this evening to discuss the ongoing political crisis in Uttarakhand.

Meanwhile, the Congress has cracked the whip following the rebellion by its nine MLAs in Uttarakhand and expelled Vijay Bahuguna's son Saket and state organisation secretary Anil Gupta for six years on charges of anti-party activities.

Rebel Congress MLA Harak Singh Rawat earlier wrote to Uttarakhand Governor K.K. Paul, urging him to call an Assembly Session tomorrow for the floor test.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who was set to arrive in the national capital today to discuss the political crisis in the state with the Congress leadership, has been asked by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to stay put and handle the situation there.

The Congress vice-president had earlier asked to stay put and handle the situation there.