Congress Government in Uttarakhand heading for a major crisis Friday March 18,2016

The Congress government in Uttarakhand is heading for a major crisis with senior party leaders rebelling against Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to topple the Harish Rawat government with the help of rebel Congress leaders, in a move similar to the recent political development in Arunachal Pradesh in February.2016

The top Congress leaders such as former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, Harak Singh Rawat, and Satpal Maharaj want to topple the Harish Rawat government. They claim to have the support of 12 rebel Congress MLAs in the house of 70 MLAs

Current party position in Uttarakhand:
Total seats: 71, including one nominated
Bahujan Samaj Party - 2
Bharatiya Janata Party - 29
Independent - 03
Congress - 36
Uttarakhand Kranti Dal(P) - 1

Harish Rawat currently runs his government with the support of Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), which is a platform of six non-Congress MLAs, including two BSP (excluding Late Surendra Rakesh), three independents and one UKD.

Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul Asks Harish Rawat To Prove Majority By March 28,2016


Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul has written to Chief Minister Harish Rawat this evening Saturday March 19,2016 and asked him to prove his majority on the floor of the house before March 28,2016
The state government came under threat on Friday night with 27 BJP legislators meeting the governor and staking claim to form the government.

The BJP lawmakers were also joined by nine rebel legislators from the Congress, including former Chief Minister Vijay Bahugana and cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat, who was expelled from the cabinet on Saturday evening.

CM Rawat maintained there was no threat to his government and said, "We are ready to prove our majority." He said the rebel MLAs "are in touch with us. They haven't left the Congress." Mr Rawat has sought a meeting with the Governor today. "We told our rebel MLAs that their behaviour is inappropriate, they should have spoken to us," he said. The Congress in New Delhi blamed BJP President Amit Shah for the crisis. "It is a part of the BJP's 'topple Congress' drive," a Congress leader said.

"If the Congress fails to protect its government, it's their responsibility," Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.