Koshyari to serve as state party chief, not to join Govt

Dehradun, Mar 2 (UNI) Uttarakhand Bharatiya Janata Party State Chief Bhagat Singh Koshyari has decided to continue to serve in his post and not take any portfolio in the party's Government which would be formed in the state soon after Holi.

Talking to UNI today, Mr Koshyari who was edged out by Maj Gen (Retd.) Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri in the Chief Ministerial race on Thursday night after a five-hour-long party meeting, said ''There is no question of complaint against the decision. Maj-Gen Khanduri was unanimously elected for the post and I would fully support and cooperate with him,'' he added.

Mr Koshyari had to bow down in front of party decision albeit having more than 24 Legislators out of total 34 on his side.

When asked whether the RSS factor did not work for him in the run up to the race for Chief Ministerial post, Mr Koshyari maintained that he did not believe in pressure politics of any kind.

Answering queries on the party's stand on the statement of the two Independents in which they had denied support to any of the parties notwithstanding BJP's declaration on Thursday that the party has received their support, Mr Koshyari said ''Independents always tend to change their statements. However when we will form the government they will come in our support''.

BJP had emerged as the largest party with 34 seats out of 69 for which Assembly election was held, short of one MLA to form the government and had been negotiating with Independents for their support.

UNI