'Horse trading' has become BJP's trademark: Congress on Uttarakhand crisis

Maintaining that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat would pass the floor test in the assembly, the Congress on Saturday accused BJP of using 'money and muscle' power to topple governments in the states ruled by the grand old party.

"Muscle and money power are being used to topple the Congress governments. We have faith in our Constitution and shall defeat their evil design," Congress leader Ahmed Patel said.

Another Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said 'horse trading' has become a trademark of the BJP while asserting that the saffron party was attempting to murder democracy in Uttarakhand just as they did in Arunachal Pradesh.

"Horse trading seems to have become a trademark of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In Arunachal Pradesh, they murdered democracy. And now another attempt is being made in Uttarakhand. Symbolically, we saw a horse being beaten black and blue. The Chief Minister has challenged them to a floor test, very clearly he has the support," Vadakkan told ANI.

"It is yet another attempt from the back -door to buy MLAs. I do not think we need an Election Commission to conduct elections because it is all about trading. If this is the state of democracy, I do not know how- many governments will survive," he added.

With the Congress government in crisis in Uttarakhand after nine party MLAs, including a minister, joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party overnight, Chief Minister Rawat asserted that the welfare of the state was his priority and added that he would tender his resignation if he was not able to prove majority.

A three-member delegation, comprising senior BJP leader Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Uttarakhand in-charge Shyam Jaju and party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya met Uttarakhand Governor K. K. Paul last night and demanded the dismissal of the Harish Rawat-led government while stating that it was in a minority.

The BJP staked claim to form the government with the support of the rebel Congress MLAs.