BJP denies reports of rift in party over selection of Pushkar Singh Dhami as Uttarakhand CM

Pushkar Singh Dhami will take oath as the 11th chief minister of Uttarakhand at 5 pm in Raj Bhawan on Sunday (July 4).

File Photo

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has categorically refuted reports of rift within the Uttarakhand unit of the party over the choice of Pushkar Singh Dhami as the next Chief Minister. Dhami will take oath as the 11th chief minister of Uttarakhand at 5 pm in Raj Bhawan on Sunday (July 4).  

Denying the reports of displeasure, Uttarakhand Minister Bansidhar Bhagat told ANI, “I read somewhere that 35 MLAs reached Delhi, please tell me who are these MLAs? These (reports) are mere rumours, our leaders stand firmly with the party.” 

Rudraprayag MLA Bharat Singh Choudhary also refuted the reports of conflict within the party. "Pushkar Singh Dhami is a youth face and have good experiences working for the youth wing of the party. He has a good grip over youth and under his leadership, the party will get new energy and workers will move forward with new motivation," he said.

Dhami, a two-time MLA from Khatima, was unanimously elected as its leader by the Uttarakhand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party on Saturday. He will become the youngest chief minister of Uttarakhand on Sunday. 

BJP MLA Dhan Singh Rawat said only Dhami will take the oath on Sunday. "Everyone is happy in Uttarakhand with this decision. Today only Chief Minister (Pushkar Singh Dhami) will take the oath."

Meanwhile, the next Uttarakhand Chief Minister met his predecessors Tirath Singh Rawat and Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday morning.

The BJP MLA from Khatima constituency in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district, paid a courtesy call to his immediate predecessor Tirath Singh Rawat at his Bhagirathipuram residence. He also met former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who was replaced by Tirath as CM, at his Defence Colony residence, PTI reported. 

Chief Minister-designate Pushkar Singh Dhami meets former Uttarakhand Chief Ministers Tirath Singh Rawat and Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Dhami was appointed as the Uttarakhand BJP legislature party leader yesterday. He will be sworn in as Uttarkhand CM today. pic.twitter.com/uuBcqojPRG

— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2021

It is to be noted that Dhami has never been a minister in the Uttarakhand government and will now swear in as the chief minister, sidelining other senior leaders. 

The development has come ahead of polls for the 70 member Uttarakhand Assembly scheduled early next year. 

(With agency input)