Noting that President's Rule is imposed only for a specific period, Vijay Bahuguna said he is in favour of early elections in the state so that people could decide which way they wanted to go. (File photo)
Leader of rebel Congress legislators Vijay Bahuguna today said a failed Appropriation Bill and the former chief minister Harish Rawat's refusal to resign were enough ground for President's Rule in Uttarakhand but advocated early elections in the state so that people could decide which way to go.
"Harish Rawat and Assembly Speaker alone are to be blamed for the imposition of President's Rule. The Speaker declared a failed legislation as passed. Rawat refused to resign despite being reduced to a minority.
"Had he resigned someone else would have become chief minister and the state would not have come under Central rule," Mr Bahuguna told reporters in Dehradun on the sidelines of a programme to mark his father and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna's birth anniversary.
Noting that President's Rule is imposed only for a specific period, Mr Bahuguna said he is in favour of early elections in the state so that people could decide which way they wanted to go.
"President's Rule has been imposed 126 times in the country. It is always imposed for a specific period after which it has to come to an end.
"I for one want early elections in the state so that people get a chance to decide which way they want to go," the former chief minister, who is among the nine rebel Congress legislators who revolted against Mr Rawat, said.
When asked what his father would have done if he were the chief minister and faced a similar situation as Mr Rawat did in the state Assembly, Mr Bahuguna said, "He would have gone straight to the Raj Bhawan and submitted his resignation.
"People of the last generation did politics of dignity which is nowhere in evidence today. Love of the chair is above everything else."
Earlier, Mr Bahuguna placed a flower garland on the statue of his father in the heart of the city along with other rebel legislators including Harak Singh Rawat and Subodh Uniyal, Umesh Sharma Cow.