New Delhi:
Sources have told NDTV that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank may be asked to step down in the wake of a series of corruption charges against him. Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri is likely to replace him.
Nishank is in Delhi today to attend the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting. He met BJP president Nitin Gadkari at his residence in the morning. The meeting was also attended by senior BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh, who has now been given special charge of Uttarakhand elections.
Speaking to reporters, Rajnath Singh said: ''The decision will be announced by evening. We will discuss Uttarakhand just like we are discussing other states.''
BJP parliamentary board is expected to meet this evening to discuss the decision on the Uttarakhand Chief Minister. Sources say Nishank's exit from the chief minister's post is imminent. He may, however, be given an opportunity to go gracefully as the party does not want to ruffle any feathers ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections.
PTI adds that according to unconfirmed sources, when the senior leaders apprised Nishank of their decision, he offered to resign. A "respectable exit plan" is now being worked out. The BJP is reportedly keen on finalising the change in two days.
While leaving Dehradun for Delhi yesterday, Nishank had refused to comment on the reports of a possible leadership change in Uttarakhand.
"You have the news, I don't. I just want to say that the BJP is strong. The BJP will definitely be back in power in 2012 and we will take our Vision 2020 forward," he had said.