Dehradun, June 17
The surprise resignation from the membership of the Rajya Sabha by former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, who has been leading a campaign against Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd), has further deepened the political crisis within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

The move points towards the going-ons in the BJP right from central leadership to the state.

Despite warnings from the central BJP leadership, the dissidence led by Koshiyari refused to die down. “This is an extreme move by Koshiyari and such moves are required sometimes to shake the party out of slumber,” said a dissident BJP legislator.

It was believed that Koshiyari has taken the step to put pressure on the party leadership for a change in Dehradun. However, Chief Minister Khanduri has maintained a stoic silence on the resignation.

But his supporters are of the opinion that Koshiyari has taken advantage of the fluid situation in the central party leadership after the Lok Sabha defeat.

“This should invite disciplinary action against him. Who has authorised him to resign?” a close aide of the Chief Minister said.

The dissidence has resurfaced in the ruling BJP following the defeat of the party in Uttarakhand. After the party lost all five Uttarakhand seats, Chief Minister Khanduri owned moral responsibility for it. This prompted his detractors to demand his removal.

In a show of strength before central party observers, Khanduri managed to win over the confidence of the leadership while both camps claimed to have the support of the majority of the party legislators.

After the Kapkot Assembly by-election victory on June 1, the Assembly seat vacated by Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, there were again confabulations by the dissidents.

Few days ago, there were rumours that eight BJP legislators had submitted their resignations. The reports were denied by the Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Harbans Kapoor. But dissident legislators claimed that it was not yet over and something big would happen soon.

The dissidence in Uttarakhand BJP started soon after the party won the Assembly elections in 2007 and central party leadership ignored the claim of Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and gave the reins of the state to Khanduri. Since then, Koshiyari and his supporters have been cribbing.

Dehradun, June 17
With the crisis in the Uttarakhand BJP getting worse every passing day, the main opposition party in the state - Congress - has demanded that the BJP government must call a special session of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly and should give a floor test.

UPCC president Yashpal Arya said that after the BJP’s humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, internal strife within the party has increased and there are reports of several BJP legislators submitting their resignations.

“Even BJP Rajya Sabha MP Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has resigned from Parliament today. These developments certainly indicate that the BJP government has come into a minority and hence Khanduri should give floor test in the Assembly,” asserted Arya.

Expressing similar views, leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Dr Harak Singh Rawat said, “There is complete confusion among the masses about what is going on in the government right now.

“As a result of internal feud within the BJP, the development of the state is suffering. The uncertainty in the government has adversely affected the functioning of the administration.” He demanded that under the circumstances, a special session of the Assembly is the need of the hour and Khanduri must prove that his government has not been reduced to a minority.

Notably, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat had already stated that BC Khanduri should bring an end to the internal strife in the state BJP.

Rawat had recently said that because of the “turmoil” in the BJP, the developmental works in the state were being adversely affected.

The UKD, a coalition partner of the BJP, has also advised the BJP to end its “internal feud”.

Meanwhile, with Rajya Sabha MP Bhagat Singh Koshiyari resignation, an unusual silence prevailed within the BJP ranks today.

Almost all senior BJP leaders refrained from uttering even a single word pertaining to the ongoing crisis in the party. Koshiyari’s residence was almost deserted with his supporters reportedly camping in New Delhi. There was no activity at the BJP state headquarters.

Pitthoragarh, June 17
Following the resignation of Bhagat Singh Kosiyari from his Rajya Sabha Seat, his supporters and party workers in his home district Pitthoragarh have also submitted their resignations from their party positions in the ruling BJP.

Those who resigned from their party posts include Naresh Joshi, Manoj Bhatt, Virendra Shah and Basant Verma of Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha and Rajendra Singh Rawat, president of city unit of the BJP. Rajendra Singh Rawat is presently Chairman of Pitthoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad.

In a letter addressed to BJP National President, these workers said that Koshiyari has been the backbone of the state BJP and he has sacrificed his entire life for the party.

They charged that despite his contribution to the party, he has been continuously ignored by party high command.

They added that he was sent to the Rajya Sabha to get him away from mainstream Uttarakhand politics.

These workers hoped the party leadership will take the right decision in the larger interest of the party.

Dehradun, June 17
Local bodies’ stir entered third day today with agitating employees, seeking Sixth Pay Commission benefits, continue with their boycott of works even as administration tried to grapple with challenges arising out from disruption of potable water supply.

While the administration did succeed in bringing potable water supply at various localities to normal, the agitating employees got support from Congress and other unions.

Former Congress minister Hira Singh Bisht and Rajkiya Shikshak Sangh president Mahesh Dobriyal reached Gandhi Park and pledged their support to the ongoing agitation.

The agitated employees of Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority, Jal Sansthan, Zila Panchyats and other local bodies employees gathered at Gandhi Park to hold a protest meeting, where they pledged to continue with the stir till their demand was met by the government.

However, the administration today tried to meet every possible exigency in the aftermath of situation developing due to the stir.

The government took up active assistance from civil defense and other public representatives in order to ensure smooth potable water supply in the city. Jal Sansthan chief general manager Harshapati Uniyal claimed the almost 90 per cent of potable water supply has been resorted and the situation was expected to become normal by Thursday morning.

He also expressed gratitude towards the general public for their cooperation in ensuring protection to water pipe lines and other properties of the department.

Leave apart plumbers, other officials were found to have least knowledge of potable water pipelines criss-crossing the city and this certainly proved to be a big problem.

While administration took every possible measure to normalise the potable water supply. Heaps of garbage could be seen at parts of the city with Dehradun Municipal Corporation employees who are participating in the protest refusing to pick up the garbage at several places. Meanwhile, administration yet again issued appeal to the striking employees to return back to work in larger interests of the general public.

Dehradun, June 17
Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Parkash Pant today directed officials to formulate vigilance teams in order to prevent tax evasion. He also instructed the officials to make sure that the present revenue system is made rational so as to generate more revenue. Presiding over a meeting of officials at the Civil Secretariat here, Pant instructed them to identify new revenue avenues.

He has also asked the officials to think over the proposal of imposing entry tax on vehicles and pilgrims coming for the Char Dham yatra. Besides, the minister also discussed the issue of running forest rest houses and tourist guesthouses in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pandey, Principal Secretary Finance Alok Jain and several other officials of the Tourism Department attended the meeting.

Dehradun, June 17
Senior police officials today said that the police administration is contemplating action against General Railway Police (GRP) policemen who had allegedly beaten 24-year-old Lakshman Singh Negi on Tuesday morning.

IG (Garhwal) MA Ganapathy said that the cops were forced to take action against Lakshman because he misbehaved with the police and used abusive language.

He added, “But it seems that Lakshman was thrashed in a bad manner and hence we will get the matter inquired.”

Yesterday, Lakshman’s father Virinder Singh Negi had alleged that while his son was talking to his fiancée Nilu Sunderyal, who is woman constable in GRP police station campus, at around 1 am on Tuesday, Lakshman was picked up by Dehradun GRP Station Officer RP Sati and mercilessly beaten. Nilu was also placed under suspension by Dehradun SSP Amit Kumar Sinha.

Reacting to the allegations levelled by Lakshman’s family, Ganapathy refuted the allegations and said that action initiated by the cops was on the basis of facts.

“Lakshman was found in a compromising position with Nilu in her room in GRP police station campus. When the cops intervened, Lakshman not only misbehaved with them but also used abusive language. Senior police officials visited the spot and action against Lakshman was initiated in accordance with the law,” he said.

Dehradun, June 17
CA team registered a thumping eight-wicket victory over NIVH Cricket Club at the ongoing Krishan Devi Garg Memorial Cricket Tournament at Survey Stadium here today. Priyanshu was the star of the ACA side as he scored 69 runs and picked up five wickets.

Batting first, NIVH made 174 runs in 29.2 overs. The team started on a bad note losing opener Chichu who got out to the bowling of Rajkumar when the team score was 16 runs.

Thereafter, first-down batsman Shubham and Rahul tried to stabilise the innings. Shubham was the highest scorer with 42 runs off 59 balls. Middle-order batsman Sandeep chipped in with a handy 27 runs.

For ACA, Priyanshu created havoc in NIVH’s batting line-up to claim five wickets in his six-over spell. Rajkumar picked up three wickets in his 5.2 overs.

Chasing 176 runs for victory, ACA reached the target in just 19.1 overs with eight wickets in hand. Opener Priyanshu played a fiery innings of 69 runs off 61 balls smashing nine fours and two sixes.

Middle-order batsman Vaibhav Pawar played a superb knock of 76 runs off 50 balls smashing NIVH Cricket Club bowlers all over the ground.

He smashed eight fours and four sixes. For NIVH Club, Abhishek and Munna took one wicket each.