Dissent rumours brew among Uttarakhand BJP MLAs amid corruption allegations
DEHRAN: Dissent is brewing among a faction of BJP MLAs amid failure to listen to their concerns and corruption allegations in the hill state.
Bishan Singh Chuphal, BJP MLA from Didihat in Pithoragarh district left for Delhi on Tuesday where he is said to be meeting JP Nadda, national president of the BJP to share his 'concerns'.
"The officials do not listen to us and have repeatedly failed to address our concerns," said Chuphal.
Last week, BJP MLA Puran Singh Fartyal from Lohaghat assembly in Champawat district wrote a letter to Nadda alleging corruption in road construction work between Tanakpur and Jauljibi.
In the letter, the MLA alleged that officials are favouring one particular contractor to bag the contracts of all development works in the region using fake documents, conformed the staff of the MLA.
"The MLA has expressed his concern to the honorable Chief Minister and has written to the national president of the party. It is unfortunate that such things are happening despite our party's government," said one of the MLA's aides.
Party insiders said that the faction led by Chufal is angry because of hassles in cabinet expansion where he and others expect to get cabinet berth.
"The bureaucracy doesn't give two hoots about party MLAs and workers. Everything has been centralised with the CM and his other colleagues in the cabinet. Also, there has been no cabinet expansion favouring those loyal to the party but rebels from Congress have bene favored with cabinet berths," said a party insider.
Rumours of the dissent grew strong after news of dissatisfied MLAs in Nainital surfaced.
However, Chuphal and others have denied such claims.
Out of total 12 cabinet berths, three still remain vacant.
Ten-member cabinet was took oath including the CM himself in year 2017 when the BJP swept to power in the state.
Two cabinet berths were left vacant in the cabinet at the time of oath while another was created due to demise of the then Parliamentary affairs minister Prakash Pant due to lung cancer in June 2019.