#NewDelhi : The Supreme Court will on Wednesday open the sealed cover to declare the result of the Uttarakhand floor test – a mere formality – as the numbers have gone in favour of ousted chief minister Harish Rawat. The court will also decide if Rawat can go back to his post, for the third time in a month.
The setback is not just for the State BJP, which could have reaped electoral benefits since the elections are due in March next year. It is also a setback for the Centre, which faced a rap from the court for using Article 356 to impose the President’s Rule. Sources say Rawat could now dissolve the House and call for early elections to leverage the sympathy factor.
According to sources from both parties, the Congress managed to get 33 votes against 28 for the BJP. Nine disqualified MLAs were earlier not allowed to vote by the court. Interestingly, one MLA from each of the rival side allegedly cross-voted. The members, Bhimlal Arya from BJP and Rekha Arya of Congress may soon face action for defying the party whip.
After it became clear which way the floor test went, reactions poured in from all sides. Rawat struck a conciliatory note after the floor test. “Come let’s end the politics of confrontation and build together an Uttarakhand set firmly on the path of development. I appeal to the all-powerful people in Delhi to lend their helping hand in this noble mission,” he said. He now faces CBI scrutiny for the alleged sting. Congress president Sonia Gandhi hailed the test as “victory for democracy”.
Though, the Centre didn’t directly react to Uttarakhand floor test, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the role of the Speaker, while testing the majority of a government and implementing provisions of the anti-defection law, should be reviewed. The Speaker’s role was crucial in this episode
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