U'khand showdown: Centre revokes Prez Rule, Rawat returns as CM

Victory resounded for the Congress Party in the decisive Uttarakhand floor test as the Supreme Court on Wednesday announced the grand old party now has the majority in the state assembly.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the Centre is revoking the President's Rule from the hill state as it has been proved that former chief minister Harish Rawat has got the majority on the floor of House.

Celebrations broke out at the Congress office in Uttarakhand as the party workers were seen congratulating each other and exchanging sweets.

The Congress won by a margin of 33-28 in the floor test yesterday.

The AG told the apex court that they are likely to complete proceedings to revoke President's rule in Uttarakhand today and the matter will be taken up day after tomorrow for placing the record.

The Harish Rawat-led Congress government sought a vote of confidence in the assembly yesterday following an apex court order.

With nine Congress rebels barred from voting, the strength of the 71-member assembly was 62. Sources said 28 MLAs voted for the BJP.

Yesterday, Harish Rawat in a very optimistic note said that the 'dark clouds' over Uttarakhand would finally drift away through the Supreme Court's formal announcement.

"I thank the Supreme Court and I am sure that after the decision tomorrow, normalcy will return to the state as it is a victory for Uttarakhand. I thank the people of Uttarakhand for showing faith in us," Rawat said.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party asserted that despite the victory, Rawat will not get away with the corruption charges levelled against him.

"We are rest assured that the BJP-led opposition in Uttarakhand, which had started a movement four years ago against the corruption and the ill practices of the Congress government, has been successful. It has been proved through the stings of Harish Rawat and later on his own minister Madan Singh exposed that they have given money to their MLAs," Uttarakhand BJP president Ajay Bhatt told ANI.

Centre had imposed President's rule in the state on March 27, arguing that Harish Rawat government lost majority when nine rebel Congress MLAs voted against the state government's annual budget.