Speculation over the next CM continues as BJP’s central leadership keeps cards close to its chest
Friday, 18 March 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
The swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister and cabinet ministers of Uttarakhand is expected to take place on March 21. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to organise the ceremony on a grand scale. On Thursday a virtual meeting was organised to discuss the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government. The meeting was attended by the national vice president of BJP and its state in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam, the party’s State president Madan Kaushik, State general secretary (Organisation), Ajey Kumar and others. The party’s State spokesman Vinod Suyal told The Pioneer that the ceremony would be a grand one and in all probability would be organised on a large ground.
However the uncertainty continues to prevail over the name of the next chief minister of Uttarakhand even after seven days of the declaration of results of the assembly elections. Most of the leaders including the caretaker CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and BJP state president Madan Kaushik have returned to the state after meeting the central leadership of the party. It is learnt that the top duo of the BJP- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah have already made up their mind about the next CM of the state but the party would disclose the name only in the meeting of the BJP legislature party. This crucial meeting was expected in Dehradun on Saturday (March 19) but since Holi would be celebrated in some regions of Kumaon on the day it could be shifted to March 20. The newly elected MLAs can be administered the oath in Vidhan Sabha on the same day while the swearing-in of the new government would be on March 21.
The state unit of the BJP has directed all its newly elected MLAs to reach Dehradun on time for the meeting of the legislature party. The parliamentary board of the BJP has appointed Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi as central observers for the meeting. If sources are to be believed, the central observers are expected to inform the newly elected MLAs about the choice for the post of CM and not seek their opinion.
The names of the caretaker CM Dhami, Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni, former CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union minister of State Ajay Bhatt, cabinet ministers Satpal Maharaj, Dhan Singh Rawat, Banshidhar Bhagat, Rekha Arya, BJP State president Madan Kaushik, Prem Chand Agarwal and Kotdwar MLA Ritu Khanduri are making rounds in the political circles as potential leaders for the post of the next CM of the state.
