This Article is From Mar 24, 2012

Uttarakhand BJP legislators whisked away to Madhya Pradesh

Uttarakhand BJP legislators whisked away to Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: Amidst fears of poaching, 30 newly-elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators of Uttarakhand have been sequestered in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh ahead of a trust vote on March 29.

The 70-member Uttarakhand assembly has 32 Congress members, 31 of the BJP, three of the BSP and four independents.

The assembly session will begin March 26. However, the next day will be important as the Congress government of Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna will attempt to get its nominee elected as the Speaker.

Sources said the BJP legislators were airlifted to Ujjain on Thursday evening and were staying at Mittal Hotel.

Thawar Chand Gehlot, the BJP's Uttarakhand general secretary, and state president Prabhat Jha are supervising the "operation".

Jha termed it a "pilgrimage". "All this has nothing to do with political developments (in Uttarakhand). They have come for a pilgrimage and will also visit other religious cities in Madhya Pradesh," he added.

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