Ramesh Pokhriyal removed, BC Khanduri to be new Uttarakhand CM

New Delhi - 10 Sep 2011: Senior BJP leader BC Khanduri will be newchief minister of Uttarakhand, BJP presidentNitin Gadkariannounced on Saturday night. Khanduri, who has earlier been the chief minister of Uttarakhand, will be sworn in tomorrow.

The BJP top brass on Saturday held a meeting with the outgoing Uttarakhand chief ministerRamesh Pokhriyal Nishankhere and conveyed to him that he will have to step down in the wake of a series of alleged scams facing the state government.

The BJP Parliamentary board had held a meeting on September 8 to discuss the party's prospects in Uttarakhand and the need for a change in leadership. It was decided that Pokhriyal would be replaced by Khanduri.

Pokhriyal's performance was not upto the mark and the alleged cases of graft were affecting BJP's image in the hill state, the sources said.

There were apprehensions that this could cost the party dear in the assembly elections which are just a few months away.

Other than BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, Saturday's meeting was attended by leaders of opposition inLok SabhaSushma Swaraj, herRajya SabhacounterpartArun Jaitley, senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh who is now given special charge of Uttarakhand elections, Dharmendra Pradhan and Thawar Chand Gehlot.

source: TOI