In a major setback to the BJP, one of its MLAs in Uttarakhand has resigned from the state Assembly, paving the way for Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna to enter the state Assembly. The saffron party had lost power in the hill state to the Congress by just one Assembly seat in the recently held Assembly polls.
On Wednesday, the BJP’s Sitarganj MLA Kiran Chand Mandal handed over his resignation to Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal. Mr Mandal has also urged the chief minister to contest from his seat.
Sources disclosed the Congress was looking for a safe seat for its chief minister and was in touch with Mr Mandal for the past one month.
In his resignation letter, Mr Mandal said he was resigning “in the larger interest of his constituency”.
Mr Mandal’s resignation has been accepted by the Speaker.
Senior Congress leaders, including PCC chief Yashpal Arya, were present at Mr Kunjwal’s residence when Mr Mandal handed over the resignation.
Mr Mandal, while tendering his resignation, told the Speaker that there were lot of problems related to the Sitarganj constituency like land ownership rights to Bengalis and opening of new schools and colleges.
Sources disclosed BJP chief Nitin Gadkari had personally intervened when he was told that Congress is trying to poach some BJP MLAs, including Mr Mandal.
Src: The Asian Age