PM Modi calls cabinet meeting, focus on Uttarakhand political crisis

The state government was plunged into a constitutional crisis after nine Congress MLAs supported BJP legislators’ demand for a conscience vote at the assembly’s budget session on March 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a cabinet meeting late on Saturday night to discuss the situation in crisis-ridden Uttarakhand.

BJP delegation led by Kailash Vijayargiya talking to media persosns after meeting with President in New Delhi on Saturday, March 26, 2016. BJP has demanded imposition of President’s Rule in crisis-ridden Uttarakhand. (HT Photo)

“We have nothing to share, but the situation Uttarakhand was discussed,” said a home ministry official requesting anonymity.

Modi, who was in Assam for election rallies in the state, returned to Delhi to chair the emergency meeting that lasted more than an hour.

He was supposed to stay in Jorhat to address more rallies on Sunday but will now fly back to Assam in the morning.

Uttarakhand was plunged into a constitutional crisis after nine Congress MLAs led by former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna supported BJP legislators’ demand for a conscience vote at the assembly’s budget session on March 18.

Even before the cabinet meeting ended, Congress leader Ambika Soni in a late-night address to media said it was a conspiracy to destabilise the Uttarakhand government.

The Congress said there was no need to impose the President’s rule in the state.

In Delhi, a BJP delegation met the President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday, demanding President’s Rule in the state.

Earlier in the day, a sting video surfaced purportedly showing Rawat striking a deal for bringing rebels back to the party fold.

Rawat has also blamed the central government for the crisis, saying an “unholy alliance” led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah was behind the sting.

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