Rebel Congress MLAs Sting CM Harish Rawat, Allege Horse-Trading

Rebel Cong MLAs claim threats to their lives and demand that the corrupt government be removed immediately.

Harish Rawat, Uttarakhand Chief Minister at a press conference. (Photo: IANS)

Rebel Congress MLAs of Uttarakhand released a sting video of Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday. The leaders alleged that he was indulging in horse-trading to save his government.

Releasing the video, rebel Congress MLA Harak Singh Rawat said the chief minister was trying to bribe the nine rebel Congress MLAs and few other BJP MLAs. He also alleged that rebel MLAs have been receiving threats.

Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had served notice to nine rebel Congress legislators and sought their response on why they should not be disqualified from the House. The response, for violating the party discipline and aligning with the opposition, is expected to be filed before 26 March.

Harak Singh Rawat said,

• The Uttarakhand government is indulging in horse-trading of the MLAs.
  
• We have expressed concern over our security to the government of India as we are getting threats.
  
• We have also requested the governor to immediately dismiss such a corrupt government of the mafias.
  
• We have also written a letter to the President Pranab Mukherjee to take objection to the whole situation.

Nine Congress legislators led by Harak Singh had rebelled against Chief Minister Harish Rawat a couple of weeks ago when they sought a vote on the floor of the house. The Speaker rejected the demand.

Before the crisis, the Congress had 36 legislators in the 70-member assembly. The ruling party also has the support of six members of the Progressive Democratic Front, while the opposition BJP has 28 legislators.