Score nil,Khanduri on his way out

Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri is on his way out as the head of the BJP Government in the state with the party failing to win....

Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri is on his way out as the head of the BJP Government in the state with the party failing to win any seat in the state in the Lok Sabha elections. Sources close to BJP president Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday Khanduris successor would be appointed in the next few days. Khanduri met L K Advani and Rajnath on Monday to take moral responsibility for the rout in the state. Former chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari is considered to be a front-runner for the position.

Speaking in Dehradun on Tuesday,Khanduri,however,said: I have had a word with the top leadership of the party. We could not win any seat out of the five in the state. Though it (the defeat) is a collective responsibility,I,being the head of the Government,take moral responsibility for the same. I have asked the Central Parliamentary Board of the BJP to decide. When asked to elaborate further,Khanduri simply read the same statement twice. He was flanked by state BJP president Bacchi Singh Rawat and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prakash Pant when he addressed the media at his residence.

BJP in-charge of the state Anil Jain,considered close to Rajnath,echoed the same line. He has only asked for guidance and he continues to be the chief minister.

Throughout the day,rumours were rife that Khanduri had tendered his resignation and there was even speculation on his possible successors.

In the elections,the party performed badly in all Assembly segments represented by members of the Khanduri Cabinet. Marred by infighting and dissidence,the BJPs central leadership had jumped to Khanduris defence twice last year when more than 20 party legislators had sought a change of leadership in the state.

Incidentally,the BJP had won every bypoll and local-level elections ever since Khanduri assumed the top job two years ago. Under his leadership,the BJP swept the panchayat elections held in September last year. These elections were seen as a prelude to the parliamentary polls.

The BJP now faces two Assembly bypolls. The first is for the Kapkot seat vacated by Koshiyari when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha in November last year. The polling for this seat is scheduled for May 28. The second is for the Vikas Nagar seat whose legislator Munna Singh Chauhan had quit both the BJP and his Assembly membership to unsuccessfully contest from the Tehri parliamentary seat on a BSP ticket.