New Delhi: The BJP legislature party meeting to select the next chief minister of Uttarakhand is expected to be held in Dehradun on Sunday, as per ANI sources.
The party's central observers for Uttarakhand Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi will also be present in the meeting. BJP President Madan Kaushik informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in the state.
"The swearing-in ceremony may take place on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and chief ministers of several BJP-ruled states likely to attend the event," Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik was quoted by PTI in its report.
"With Kumaon celebrating Holi on Saturday many MLAs who represent constituencies in that region are still there. They have been informed about the likely formation of government in two to three days and will arrive in Dehradun by Sunday," Madan Kaushik said.
Despite his loss by Khatima, Pushkar Singh Dhami remains the frontrunner for the role of chief minister. Other possible candidates for the top job include Chaubattakhal MLA Satpal Maharaj, Shrinagar MLA Dhan Singh Rawat, and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni.
Dhami is expected to be re-elected as chief minister because he is youthful and active, and also because the BJP campaigned in his name and won large, according to insiders in the BJP's state unit.
Another reason the party may opt to stick with Dhami is that it received a lot of flack for changing two chief ministers in fast succession during its last term, according to the sources.
"If Keshav Prasad Maurya who lost his seat in Uttar Pradesh can be made deputy CM again why can't Dhami be made a chief minister?" a BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said.
However, if the party chooses a fresh face, the need to strike a caste and regional balance would be a determining factor in the selection of the next chief minister, according to insiders.
Given that Ajay Bhatt, a Brahmin from Kumaon, has already been appointed as a Union minister of state, a Thakur or a Rajput from Garhwal may be picked to strike the much-needed caste and regional balance.
If this is the case, Satpal Maharaj or Dhan Singh Rawat, both famous Thakur leaders from Garhwal, might emerge as favourites.
There is also speculation that the next government would include more youthful faces and women.
Saurabh Bahuguna and Ritu Khanduri Bhushan are two fresh names being floated as possible cabinet candidates. Former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna's son, Saurabh Bahuguna, won from Sitarganj, while Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, who won from Kotdwar, is the daughter of BJP stalwart and former chief minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri.
(With agency Inputs)