Dispelling the notions about his moral right to continue in office, Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri has said that he will quit the day his party asks him to do so.

“I have been elected by the people and chosen by the party to hold this office. I will leave the day my party asks me to,” said Khanduri after returning from Delhi where 22 of the 36 state BJP legislators had gone to seek his ouster. A large number of these dissidents are still camping in Delhi, hoping to get some reassurance about his replacement after the Panchayat polls scheduled next month.

In a late evening interaction with mediapersons, the Chief Minister said, “I will leave the day people feel that I am working for my personal development and not the development of the state or if they feel that I am backtracking from my duties.”

On being asked about the message given to him by the BJP high command, Khanduri said, “The high command feels that we have come to power for the development of the state. We should maintain the reputation of the party and the differences among us should be sorted out amicably.”

“I do not deny the fact that there are differences. But this is nothing new. There are differences between a husband and wife. There are differences within a family. I have always tried to work for sorting out such differences and will continue my efforts,” ha said.

Khanduri denied the allegations that he was not accessible to his ministers and his legislators. “I am always available for them. I am meeting people throughout the day,” he claimed. He also denied that there is a delay in sanctioning development projects in areas of various legislators and ministers.

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