DEHRADUN: After Pushkar Singh Dhami's return as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand on Monday, hunt for his Assembly constituency has begun. Dhami has to become a member of the Assembly within six months to continue as the CM.
In the election, Dhami had lost. "Hunt for the seat has started for the CM-designate. This will be decided after the new cabinet headed by him takes oath," said a state BJP functionary.
Last year in July, Tirath Singh Rawat resigned as CM citing sections 164 and 151 of the Representation of Peoples Act 1951. According to Article 164 (4) of the Act, a minister (including the CM) who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the state legislature shall at the expiry of that period cease to be a minister.
Section 150 says a vacancy in Assembly makes it mandatory for the Election Commission to call upon the assembly constituency concerned to elect a person for the purpose of filling the vacancy.
Six MLAs have offered to vacate their seats for Dhami. Party sources said he might contest from Didihaat seat of Pithoragarh district. Dhami lost the Khatima seat to Congress' Vinod Kapri despite BJP securing 47 of the 70 seats. The party’s central leadership is cautious to avoid any slip-up.
Dehradun-based political analyst Yogesh Kumar said, "The central leadership has reposed faith in Dhami because he was able to pull off an impossible win. Dhami is given another chance. By choosing him, the central leadership has also tightened its grip over the dissenting seniors of the party."
PM for oath ceremony
Dhami’s oath-taking ceremony will take place on Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders of the party including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda.