BJP keeps its Uttarakhand MLAs together,away in MP

Wary that its legislators may be poached by Congress ahead of the confidence vote in Uttarakhand,the BJP has flown all its 31 MLAs to Ujjain in the party-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh on the pretext of a pilgrimage to attend the Mahakal aarti at the Mahakaleshwar temple.

Thawarchand Gehlot,BJP state in-charge of Uttarakhand,said the legislators were being taken to Ujjain,one of the 12 Jyotirlingams,as there was enough time for the confidence vote slated for March 29. “They will be present when the vote takes place. They are in Ujjain to pray for the progress and development of Uttarakhand,” he said.

The move comes amid the uncertainty within the Congress in the wake of the rebellion by Union MoS Harish Rawat against the Vijay Bahuguna government hanging by a slim majority,though there have been indications that Rawat has reconciled to fact that he was overlooked for the top post.