No MLA quitting BJP, it's just rumours: Nishank

Senior BJP leader Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Monday dubbed as rumours the speculations that three Uttarakhand BJP MLAs may quit the party and join the Congress. "The rumours have taken even the MLAs concerned by surprise," Nishank told reporters here in reply to a question.

After the BJP expelled Cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat from the party on Sunday, speculations began in a section of the local media that Raipur MLA Umesh Sharma Kau, Roorkee MLA Pradip Batra and Khanpur MLA Kunwar Pranav Singh Champion could defect to the Congress.

When asked about it, Nishank said, "I have spoken to the three MLAs. They have denied this saying they are in the BJP and will remain in the BJP. In fact, rumours have left them surprised."


The three MLAs were among the 10 legislators who had rebelled against the previous Harish Rawat government in 2016 and crossed over to the BJP.

On Harak Singh Rawat's ouster from the party, he said the BJP is a cadre-based party and coming and going of leaders does not make a difference to it.