Dehra Dun: Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay
Bahuguna on Friday continued his talks for the third day with
senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi
to resolve various issues confronting his government.
"The meeting between Rahul Gandhi and Vijay Bahuguna was
very positive and the two leaders discussed issues related to
Uttarakhand," said a senior Congress leader, who refused to
divulge details. Bahuguna is expected to return tomorrow
morning, Congress sources said.
Significantly, Bahuguna also met Union Minister Harish
Rawat yesterday with top Congress leaders here claiming that
most of the issues have been resolved. "The meeting between
Harish Rawat and Vijay Bahuguna in New Delhi was very
constructive and most of the issues have been resolved," they
claimed.
Rawat and Bahuguna have agreed that the responsibility of
PCC chief would be taken away from Yashpal Arya, who has been
given a cabinet berth. The two leaders also agreed to give
posts of the heads of government corporations and other bodies
to accommodate each others supporters, including all those
MLAs who have not got any ministerial berth, Congress sources said.
Bahuguna also discussed the issues related to
distribution of portfolios to cabinet ministers with Rawat.
The chief minister, who had left for New Delhi on
Wednesday, is expected to distribute the portfolios shortly
with most of the new cabinet ministers eyeing plum departments
like PWD, industry, power, tourism, irrigation, excise and
forest.
Bahuguna`s first task would be to nominate a new speaker
of the house where Congress is banking on support of 7 non-BJP
MLAs. The election of the speaker will be held on March 26, a
day before the first session of the newly constituted assembly
begins. And before that all the 11 Congress MLAs should also
take oath.
Protem speaker Shailendra Mohan Singhal said he would
sit in his chamber to administer oath to the MLAs on Mar 25
when the nomination for the post of speaker would be held.
After the election of speaker, Bahuguna will have to face
the crucial trust vote in the floor of the house.
Bahuguna would also discuss the issue related to another
rebel leader Harak Singh Rawat, who is understood to have
struck a deal with the high command for getting a cabinet
berth.
Congress is yet to decide whether Harak Singh Rawat,
who was the leader of the opposition in the previous assembly,
would be given the post of deputy CM. In this regard, the date
of the swearing-in ceremony of Rawat as the 11th cabinet
minister has not been decided.
PTI
