NEW DELHI, 29 October — The much expected change of guard in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled newly-created state of Uttaranchal will take place today.
As the present Chief Minister Nityanand Swami was given the marching orders by the BJP high command, clearing the decks for induction of a younger and more dynamic leader with an eye on the forth coming assembly elections in the state, due early next year.
The party leadership summoned Swami to New Delhi on Saturday and had asked him to make way for the appointment of his successor. Swami will step down today. Swami, after reaching here, met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajapayee, the Home Minister L.K. Advani and the former BJP chief Kushabhau Thakrel.
“I am going to quit the office on Monday. Though, I wanted to give my resignation today itself, but due to certain factors, I will now do so tomorrow in the state assembly,” Swami told reporters here.
Consultations have already begun within the BJP to find Swami’s successor, sources say that Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Bachchi Singh Rawat and Union Minister of state for Highways, Maj. Gen. (retd.) B.C. Khanduri, were emerging as front-runners for the post.
