Congress rules out rethink on Uttarakhand CM; Vijay Bahuguna to take oath as CM

NEW DELHI/DEHRADUN: Unfazed by the revolt by Union Minister Harish Rawat, Congress high command today ruled out any re-think over the issue of Chief Ministership in Uttarakhand declaring that party MP Vijay Bahuguna will take oath as the new Chief Minister today as scheduled.

Protesting against being overlooked, Rawat sent his resgination from the Union government as Minister of State for Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs.

Vijay Bahuguna, who was named the chief minister by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi last night, told reporters that he alone would take oath as Chief Minister today. In three or four days, six more ministers may be inducted after consultations with the party high command, he said.

"Senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Birendera Singh have left for Dehradun as central observers and the swearing in of Bahuguna as Chief Minister is being held as scheduled," AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told PTI.

Dwivedi's assertion came on a day when the supporters of Rawat continued their protests outside his residence against the announcement of Bahuguna as the next Chief Minister of the state.

A sulking Rawat is said to have sent in his resignation as Minister of State for Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs as he felt that it will be difficult for him to continue in the government when for the second time, his claim has been overruled.