Uttarakhand BJP chief receives Guard of Honour; police calls it a 'misunderstanding'

On Monday, the Uttarakhand BJP president Madan Kaushik received a Guard of Honour by the state police in Bageshwar in violation of protocol, a senior official said that it happened due to 'misunderstanding'. Pictures of the state BJP chief being given the Guard of Honour on his arrival at Bageshwar were shared on social media.

Madan Kaushik was recently appointed president of the state BJP after the shuffle in the Uttarakhand's cabinet. Earlier he was a member of former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat's cabinet. 

'Happened due to misunderstanding': Inspector Bharne

According to PTI, Deputy Inspector General (Law and Order) Neelesh Anand Bharne admitted that the Guard of Honour given to the state party president was wrong and said it happened due to a 'misunderstanding'. He added that the official responsible for it had just returned from leave and was not aware of the recent changes in the state government.

The BJP chief arrived in the state for the first time after getting appointed as a party president. He tweeted and said, After the getting appointment as the state president, there was a grand reception by the party workers on reaching the Bageshwar District BJP office for the first time".

Earlier this month, Trivendra Singh Rawat resigned as Uttarakhand's Chief Minister and on March 10, Tirath Singh Rawat was sworn in as the state's new chief minister. Replacing Bansidhar Bhagat, Kaushik- who represents Haridwar in the state assembly, was appointed state BJP president on March 12.

Trivendra Singh Rawat Resigns

Trivendra Singh Rawat submitted his resignation to Governor Baby Rani Maurya at the Raj Bhawan. Rawat's resignation as CM of Uttarakhand comes just before the Assembly Elections, which are slated to be held next year in the state. Rawat remarked that the party has unanimously decided to pass on the post to another leader.

The political crisis in the state was triggered when the Aam Aadmi Party sensed a political opportunity there and reached out to a senior minister in the Uttarakhand government, offering him to be the CM face. Following this, when the BJP sensed trouble, a churn for leadership had begun. Trivendra Singh Rawat was called to Delhi and the decision of transition of government was taken by the party in the state.

Tirath Singh Rawat: 9th Uttarakhand CM

Former BJP state chief Tirath Singh Rawat took oath as the 9th chief minister of the hill state on March 10 in the presence of Governor Baby Rani Maurya at Raj Bhawan. 

"I wish to thank PM Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah for providing me with this opportunity. No one can think a person from a small village will become CM - it is possible only in BJP. I will follow PM Modi's Sabka Saath, sabka vishwas. I will take ahead CM Trivendra Rawat's work ahead," said Tirath Rawat. 

(With PTI Inputs)