Rawat in a bind after sting operation

A video implicating Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat of horse trading is doing the rounds of social media. Rawat, however, has denied all allegations

Ahead of the crucial March 28 floor test, the rebel Congress MLAs on Saturday released a sting video which shows Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat purportedly indulging in horse trading to save his government.

Within an hour of the video's release in New Delhi, the chief minister hurriedly held a press conference in Dehradun to deny the allegations made against him. The video of him denying allegations also went viral on social media. "This video is false. The reputation of the person who made the video is not hidden from everyone. Everybody knows how this so called journalist made huge money in a short span of time through such blackmailing tactics," Rawat told reporters. Rawat, however, did not answer any questions from the media.

In a separate statement, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Congress would not be cowed down by such sting operations. "We will not be cowed down by such tactics, conspiracies and threats. Even today, the Uttarakhand government enjoys majority. We will abide by the constitution and prove our majority on the floor of the House," he said.

On the other hand, former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, who is leading the revolt against the ruling Congress, asked Rawat to immediately resign on moral grounds. Bahuguna was also critical of the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for not giving him time in the last two years. "I tried to meet Rahul Gandhi to air my grievances against Rawat. But I did not get any time," said Bahuguna.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on its part, sought the immediate dismissal of the Harish Rawat government. "This government should be immediately dismissed in the wake of wide-spread corruption in Uttarakhand," said BJP leader B C Khanduri.

Meanwhile, a section of the party leaders in the state wants a change of guard in the wake of the new video. "Let there be a change of guard and we can hold snap polls within six months," said a senior Congress leader.