Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat likely to quit

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is expected to resign Tuesday evening and hand over his resignation to Governor Baby Rani Maurya, a source close to the CM said.

With speculation doing rounds in Uttarakhand political circle about his replacement, Rawat was expected to meet the Governor after his scheduled address to the media in Dehradun.

Uttarakhand BJP vice president Devendra Bhasin earlier said that the Chief Minister is scheduled to address a press conference and will likely make a crucial statement on political speculation going on in the state.

Bhasin further stated that he heard that Uttarakhand BJP chief Banshidhar Bhagat has called a meeting of legislative party at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

"I am not aware about the agenda of the legislative party but a meeting has been called tomorrow," Bhasin said.

Another BJP leader from Uttarakhand said that speculations were rife in Dehradun that Rawat may announce his resignation in the press conference and later submit it to the Governor.

"After his meeting with central leadership yesterday in the national capital, it seems that BJP leadership has informed Rawat about possible change of leadership in the Uttarakhand government. Now he might step down from the office," he said.

On Monday evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J.P. Nadda, National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santosh discussed the political development in the hill state.

BJP National General Secretary and state in-charge, Dushyant Gautam was part of discussion. Meeting was called after several MLAs questioned Rawat's style of functioning.

"Bureaucracy is getting more powerful and voices of elected representatives are unheard," said a party member from Uttarakhand.

On Saturday, the BJP leadership sent former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Gautam as observers to meet state leaders and get a feedback. "Both the leaders met the members of the core committee and took their opinion. Report was submitted to BJP leadership," said a party insider.

It is learnt that the report mentioned that it will be difficult for the party to win the next year state assembly polls with Rawat as the face of BJP.

In 2017, Rawat was made Chief Minister after BJP won in Uttarakhand.