Uttarakhand was on Sunday brought under President’s rule by the Centre on grounds of “breakdown of governance”. The controversial decision comes in the wake of a political crisis triggered by a rebellion in the ruling Congress.
The President’s decision came hours after an emergency meeting of the Cabinet accepted Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul’s report recommending President’s rule in the State. The Centre’s move is likely to reflect during the second lap of the Budget session of Parliament, scheduled to begin on April 24.
Mukherjee signed the proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution, dismissing the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat and placing the Assembly under suspended animation this morning on the recommendation of the Union Cabinet.
The Cabinet had held a meeting last night presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had cut short a visit to Assam to return to the capital for the purpose.
The Cabinet considered several reports received from Governor Paul, who had described the political situation as volatile and expressed apprehensions over possible pandemonium during the scheduled trial of strength in the State Assembly tomorrow.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is believed to have briefed the President late last night explaining the rationale for the Cabinet’s recommendation. The dismissal of the Rawat government now renders tomorrow’s confidence vote infructuous.
Meanwhile, in a development likely to further precipitate the political crisis in Uttarakhand, the Assembly Speaker on Sunday evening disqualified nine rebel Congress legislators, including former CM Vijay Bahuguna.
Crying foul over the imposition of President’s rule, Rawat said the NDA government at the Centre has been targeting his government ever since it came to power. “The BJP-led Centre was after me and my government from day one. The Centre even made deduction in the funds allocated to the State, funds for pilgrimage was reduced,” he added.