"BJP leaders are building an atmosphere of animosity and bitterness in the state," Harish Rawat said. (File photo)
Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat today accused the BJP of threatening Congress and PDF lawmakers and urged the Governor to provide security to them while the BJP lashed out at the Congress leader, demanding legal action against him for his "unconstitutional" step of taking charge as chief minister without a written order from the High Court.
"BJP leaders are building an atmosphere of animosity and bitterness in the state. They are even issuing threats to Congress and PDF MLAs. I have urged the Governor to make security arrangements for them," Mr Rawat told reporters at Bijapur State Guest House.
The six-member Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), a combination of BSP, UKD and Independent lawmakers, was a part of Mr Rawat government and has stood by him during the current political crisis in the state.
Countering BJP leaders' claims that they had the numbers required for government formation, Mr Rawat said lawmakers supporting them should come out openly.
"They should openly state whether they are poaching MLAs or engineering another defection in Congress with money power," Mr Rawat said.
BJP, however, attacked Mr Rawat for "hurriedly" taking charge as chief minister and convening two cabinet meetings to take policy decisions even before a written order of the Uttarakhand high Court quashing President's rule in the state could reach the Centre and the Governor.
A BJP delegation led by its state unit president Ajay Bhatt met Governor KK Paul and demanded appropriate legal action against Mr Rawat, claiming his actions were "unconstitutional".
The delegation also demanded annulment of policy decisions taken by Mr Rawat after his brief "reinstatement" as chief minister which came to an end with the Supreme Court putting a stay on the high court's verdict yesterday.
The party's main contention was that Mr Rawat went against parliamentary norms by assuming charge even before getting a signed copy of the high court's order.
Mr Rawat, however, dismissed the charge saying if the Centre can go to the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the high court's order without having a written copy of it why can't he assume charge as chief minister without the same document.