It's advantage Harish Rawat as Supreme Court rejects plea of Uttarakhand rebel MLAs

9 rebel Congress MLAs can’t vote

It’s advantage Harish Rawat, sacked Uttarakhand chief minister, as both the Supreme Court and Uttarakhand high court on Monday rejected the rebel Congress MLAs’ plea challenging their disqualification. Tension rose in the saffron camp and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his senior colleagues to discuss the situation.

The Centre and the BJP, which unleashed an aggressive campaign to justify the imposition of President’s Rule in the state, will face major embarrassment if Mr Rawat wins the floor test on Tuesday. With nine Congress rebels disqualified from voting, the deposed CM appears to be ah-ead in the numbers game.

The Uttarakhand HC Monday dismissed the plea by the nine rebel MLAs challenging their disqualification. The MLAs then approached the Supreme Court, but the country’s highest court too upheld the high court’s order and barred them from taking part in Tuesday’s trust vote. Despite having an advantage, it remains to be seen if Mr Rawat, who was accused in yet another sting operation of trying to buy the support of legislators, will be able to hold his flock together. The saffron spin doctors, pushed into a corner, have not yet given up and speculation is rife that the BJP was trying to win the support of the BSP.

Struggling for numbers, the brain behind the BJP strategy in Uttarakhand, general secretary Kailash Vijayvarigiya, went to Kedarnath Monday to “seek divine intervention”, a senior party leader quipped.

At this point, the Congress has 27 MLAs in its kitty and the BJP has 28. The Congress claims it has the support of three Independents and one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal MLA. Speculation is rife that the two BSP MLAs may support the BJP. In the coming Hardwar panchayat polls, the BJP has announced its support to BSP candidates.

After the disqualification of nine MLAs, the effective strength of the House is 62, of which 61 MLAs will take part in the voting, barring the Speaker. Nominated Anglo-Indian member R.V. Gardner, who is expected to vote, has indicated he might support the Congress. The magic figure to establish a majority in the House stands at 31.

If the Congress manages to keep its flock together and carries the “Others” (UKD and Independents) along, the effective strength of the party on the floor will be 32. There were rumours that despite a whip, rebel BJP MLA Bhim Lal Arya could also go against the party and vote in favour of Mr Rawat. Ahead of the floor test, both the Congress and BJP have issued whips to their MLAs.

The BJP, even with the support of two BSP MLAs, seems to be falling one short of a simple majority. The BJP is, however, hopeful of “cross-voting” by Congress MLAs.

Senior Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu attacked the Congress, saying: “Now, the new method is that you disqualify dissenters and then hold a floor test. What is this tamasha ” Mr Naidu said what was taking place now in Uttarakhand was “naya loktantra”, followed by the Congress’ “kutantra”.

The floor test will be held under strict guidelines of the Supreme Court and will be monitored by the principal secretary, Legislative Assembly, and principal secretary, legislative and parliamentary affairs. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been clamped in and around the Uttarakhand Assembly, and mobile phones will not be allowed inside the House. At 11 am Tuesday, President’s Rule will be suspended for two hours in Uttarakhand to enable Mr Rawat to seek the vote of confidence.