Fresh elections best option in Uttarakhand: Bahuguna

New Delhi: Former Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, who is leading a group of nine rebel Congress legislators, on Wednesday said that fresh assembly elections in the state was the best way out in the given circumstances.

"In the present circumstances, dissolving the assembly and holding fresh elections seems to be the best option in the larger interest of democracy," Bahuguna told a news channel after the Supreme Court allowed the President's Rule to continue in the hill state.

The Supreme Court also cancelled the floor test in the state assembly scheduled for Friday. The next hearing is scheduled for May 3.

"With the disqualification of nine legislators, the strength of the assembly stands diminished.

Although we are challenging the disqualification, at the end of the day, fresh elections will provide a stable government in Uttarakhand," he added.

Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal had disqualified the nine rebel Congress legislators from the house. Meanwhile, ousted chief minister Harish Rawat said he was happy that the Supreme Court had barred the Centre from attempting to form a BJP government in the state till the final judgment in the matter was pronounced.

IANS