22 May 2009, Dehradun (PTI)
A change of guard appears imminent in Uttarakhand with BJP central observers visiting the state tomorrow to elicit views of party MLAs for choice of a new Chief Minister.
The central observers are expected to meet all the 34 party MLAs separately and take the majority view, sources in the party here said on Thursday.
BJP is facing a precarious situation in Uttarakhand where it is one-short of majority in the 70-member assembly having an effective strength of 68.
Former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who led BJP to victory in 2007 assembly elections, is seen as the front-runner for the post, the sources said.
However, Chief Minister B C Khanduri, who quit in the wake of BJP’s failure to win any of the five Lok Sabha seats in the state, has suggested the name of Health Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank and opposed the candidature of Koshiyari.
Although, Nishank claims that he is not into any group politics, party sources said he is close to Khanduri.
The race for the top post is now mainly between Nishank and Koshiyari, who had opposed Khanduri candidature when he became the Chief Minister in 2007.
News Source: The Hindu
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