Just four months after taking charge as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has offered to resign from his post. According to a report of India Today, the Chief Minister has written to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national president JP Nadda, offering to resign in order to avoid a Constitutional crisis in the state.
Earlier, it was reported that the Chief Minister, who sworn in to his designation on March 10 this year after Trivendra Singh Rawat resigned, has sough to meet state governor Baby Rani Maurya.
This comes amid just a year to Assembly election in the mountain state. At the time of sworn in ceremony, Tirath Singh Rawat was not an elected MLA, but a Lok Sabha MP from Pauri Garhwal. He is still an MP.
As per the constitution, minister or the chief minister has to get elected to the state legislature within six months of taking oath. The person can either be elected to the legislative assembly or the legislative council (in states that have two houses). Uttarakhand does not have any legislative council.
Tirath Singh Rawat still has time till September 10 to get elected to the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly through a byelection.
Now in order to avoid constitutional crisis, Uttarakhand can either hold by election or replace Tirath Singh Rawat. However, amid the current circumstances owing to Covid-19 pandemic, it is difficult for the state to hold by election.
Much to the disappointment of the ruling party BJP in the state, Tirath Singh Rawat didn’t turn out to be any better than his predecessor, making uncomfortable remarks within days of taking charge.