Uttarakhand: BJP to decide on new CM today

After much speculations and days of political turmoil, Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat handed in his resignation to governor Baby Rani Maurya at Raj Bhavan in Dehradun on Tuesday days before completing four years in power. Following the uphaveal, a BJP legislative party meeting has been called on Wednesday morning to decide on the name of the new face for the chief minister position. An official notification issued late in the evening by chief secretary OM Prakash said that governor has accepted the BJP leader's resignation.

Shortly after handing in his resignation, Mr Rawat said that he was thankful for the party to give him a chance. "I come from a very humble background and it is only a party like BJP that gives chance to a common man to head the state. The party has now decided that it needs a new face and, therefore, I am stepping down. Our government has initiated a number of development schemes and the people of the state will definitely get the benefits. My successor will take these projects ahead and I would like to wish him good luck for his tenure," he added.

He further added, "never thought of getting so much respect, love and affection from the party and people alike. My tenure is just nine days short of four years and I will term it as the golden phase of my political career."

Trivendra Singh Rawat's successor will be decided at a state legislature party meeting at the BJP headquarters in Dehradun today. The BJP's national vice president Raman Singh, a former chief minister of Chhattisgarh, will be chairing the meeting.

Likely contendors to be considered for the new chief minister of the hill state include Dhan Singh Rawat, a BJP MLA from Sringar in Uttarakhand's Pauri District; Satpal Maharaj, Tourism Minister in the Uttarakhand government; Ajay Bhatt, BJP Lok Sabha MP from Nainital constituency; Anil Baluni, A national spokesperon for the party; Bhagat Singh Koshyari; former chief minister of Uttarakhand and current Maharashhtra governor; Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union Education Minister and former chief minister.