In an apparent bid to thwart any threat to his government after the BJP's historic win in the Lok Sabha polls, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today made two Congress MLAs the chairpersons of different government councils.
Navprabhat was made chairperson of Uttarakhand Infrastructure and Industrial Development Council while Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion was given the post of chairperson, Minerals Development Council, official sources said.
Both the posts are equivalent to the rank of Cabinet Ministers, they said.
Besides, eight Congress MLAs, who were made Cabinet rank ministers earlier, namely Rajendra Singh Bhandari, Narayan Ram Arya, Sarbat Karim Ansari, Sundar Lal Mandrwal, Mayukh Mahar, Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri, Madan Singh Bisht and Haridas, were also given additional responsibilities in the government, they said.
Earlier, on May 15, Rawat had made seven Congress MLAs the Parliamentary Secretaries.
Most of these MLAs belonged to anti-Harish Rawat camp of the Congress, bearing allegiance either to his predecessor Vijay Bahuguna, party veteran N D Tiwari or former party heavyweight Satpal Maharaj who recently defected to BJP.
Ever since Satpal's defection to BJP, speculation was rife that MLAs loyal to him could create trouble for Rawat.
It was being said that they were only biding their time and could do something explosive just after the Lok Sabha results are out.
It is being seen as a smart political move by Rawat to ensure longevity of his government.
Congress has 33 members in the 70-member state Assembly and survives on the prop of seven-member PDF.
BJP has bagged all the five Lok Sabha seats in the state.
