DEHRADUN: Amid frantic efforts to rope in potential allies, the Congress today said it would form the government in Uttarakhand after the new CLP leader is chosen by the party high command.
"Let the new leader be chosen by the party high command, thereafter we will form government also," said state PCC chief Yashpal Arya, a day after Congress President Sonia Gandhi was authorised to chose new leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).
Congress, which is inching close to form new government, also claimed that it has mustered the required numbers for the same.
"We have all the numbers which are enough to form new government," Arya said.
While Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 32 seats in the 70-member House, BJP finished one less seat in a cliff-hanger contest for the state assembly polls.
BSP has won three seats, Uttarkhand Kranti Dal one and independents three.
He also said a group of observers is also being sent by the party high command to Dehradun to take views of the newly elected MLAs.
In the last night meeting of the CLP, Congress General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in the state, Chaudhary Berendra Singh also held separate talks with a host of newly elected party MLAs in this regard, party sources said.
Chaudhary is understood to have left for New Delhi to brief the party high command on the views of the different groups in Congress as well as those of individuals.
Arya said once the CLP's new leader is announced, the party would stake claim before Governor Margaret Alva for the formation of the new government.
Meanwhile, Dinesh Dhanai, an Independent MLA from Tehri seat, is understood to have expressed his conditional support to Congress, party sources said.
The king-maker in the state, however, could be the three BSP MLAs. Both Congress and BJP are looking to gain the support of these legislators.
"We will take the direction of our party supremo Mayawati to decide the future course of action," state BSP chief Surajmal said.
Pritam Singh Panwar, the lone UKD MLA, is also in high demand. Top Uttarakhand Kranti Dal leaders said Panwar would take an appropriate decision himself, but he would certainly not support the BJP.