Congress wins back Uttarakhand, Presidents’ Rule lifted

In one of the biggest setbacks for the Modi government, the Congress, led by Harish Rawat, won back Uttarakhand as the results of the floor test in Uttarakhand Assembly were revealed to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The top court asked the Centre to immediately reinstate Mr Rawat as chief minister and the government promptly recommended revocation of Presidents’ Rule, which it had imposed amidst much hue and cry. It was lifted late in the evening.

With the top court announcing, “Rawat gets 33 votes out of 61 in the floor test. No irregularities were found in the voting. Nine MLAs could not vote due to their disqualification,” celebrations broke out in Dehradun. A jubiliant Mr Rawat said, “Judiciary in a way came forward as an adjudicator of constitutional and democratic values. From the Supreme Court to the high court, I want to thank the judiciary... What ends well remains well. And from here, making a new start will be beneficial for the state.”

If it was celebration time for the Congress, BJP heavyweights were busy “introspecting”.

All saffron fingers are now pointing towards BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. The humiliating defeat has severely dented his image as a “master strategist.” Mr Vijayvargiya was made election in-charge of the party in West Bengal, where the party now seems certain to receive another electoral drubbing.

As for Mr Rawat, there was no chest-thumping or rhetoric against the Centre. “I will meet the Prime Minister and seek his cooperation,” a beaming Mr Rawat told the media in Dehradun. He also thanked Congress president Sonia gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders for their support.

The BJP’s political misadventure in Uttarakhand has not merely boosted the image of Mr Rawat, but also helped him cleanse the party of his rivals.

There were rumours that following dissident activities in the state unit, the Congress high command was considering the option of asking Mr Rawat to step down to keep the party united before the Assembly polls in the state early next year. The BJP virtually revived and strengthened Mr Rawat.

The nine disqualified Congress rebels were reportedly holding parleys with the BJP to join the outfit.

Reacting to the high-stake victory, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "They (BJP) did their worst. We did our best. Democracy won in Uttarakhand!."

The Congress also demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Uttarakhand issue and sacking of the minister who advised the Centre to impose President’s Rule.

The BJP tried to maintain its aggressive stance and targeted Mr Gandhi saying he should not give sermons.

The Uttarakhand debacle has not only delivered another body blow to the BJP, already reeling under electoral drubbing in Bihar and Delhi, but has also blunted the party’s oft repeated “Congress mukt bharat” slogan.

None of the BJP’s top leaders, including ministers who were all over television channels and newspapers justifying the imposition of President’s Rule, could be seen talking about the “humiliation” on Wednesday.

On Monday, the BJP’s overzealous strategists in their desperation to take control of Uttaranchal had hurriedly announced the party’s support to BSP for the forthcoming Hardwar Panchayat polls. The “strategy” fell flat and the so-called “spin doctors” were stunned to silence when BSP supremo Mayawati announced her support for Mr Rawat before the high-stake trial of strength on Tuesday. Her support to Congress sealed BJP’s fate in Uttarakhand.