Rebel MLAs release sting, accuse Uttarakhand CM of horse-trading

New Delhi, March 26: Rebel Congress MLAs of Uttarakhand on Saturday released a sting video of Chief Minister Harish Rawat here and alleged that he was indulging in horse-trading to save his government.

Releasing the video, rebel Congress MLA Harak Singh Rawat said that the chief minister was trying to bribe the nine rebel Congress MLAs and few other BJP MLAs. He also alleged that the rebel MLAs have been receiving life threats.

Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had served notice to nine rebel Congress legislators, seeking their responses by March 26 on why they should not be disqualified from membership of the house for violating the party discipline and aligning with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"There is an attempt by the CM to bribe the nine rebel MLAs and few other BJP MLAs. The Uttarakhand government is indulging in horse-trading of the MLAs," said one of the rebel MLAs Harak Singh Rawat.

"We have expressed concern over our security to the government of India as we are getting threats. We've asked them to make arrangements for us. We have also requested the governor to immediately dismiss such a corrupt government of the mafias," he added.

Rawat further said: "We have also written a letter to the President Pranab Mukherjee to take objection to the whole situatiom. There is a constitutional crisis in the state."

Nine Congress legislators led by Harak Singh had rebelled against the chief minister couple of weeks back when they sought a vote division on the floor of the house. The speaker rejected the demand.

Before the crisis, the Congress had 36 legislators in the 70-member assembly. The ruling party also has the support of six members of the Progressive Democratic Front, while the opposition BJP has 28 legislators.

IANS