9 rebel Cong MLAs back BJP to form Govt in U'khand
The BJP staked claim to form the government in Uttarakhand on Saturday with nine rebel Congress MLAs joining the party. The incumbent Congress government of Harish Rawat was reduced to a minority. Shyam Jaju, state BJP leader, claimed the numbers to form a government. The party had 28 members in the House and with the addition of nine rebel Congress MLAs, the BJP total now was 37 in the 70-member House. The BJP was ready to present its strength before President Pranab Mukherjee. A BJP delegation of former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiari, party unit general secretary Kailash Vijayvargia and Jaju had last night met governor KK Paul and apprised him of the developments. Significantly, all the rebel Congress MLAs were those who owed their allegiance to Vijay Bahuguna, former Chief Minister.
