Trust vote for Harish Rawat over in Uttarakhand Assembly

The result has been sent in a sealed envelop to the Supreme Court and will be announced on Wednesday. The floor test was monitored by the apex court.

However, the Congress  claimed that it has  got the support of 34 members in the 71-member Assembly with nine Congress deserters being  barred from voting.

The key to Rawat's way back to power is believed to be in the hands of six members of the Progressive Democratic Front, which comprises the Bhujan Samaj Party, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and Independents. The PDF  claimed all its six members, including three independents and one UKD members, have voted for the Congress.  BSP chief Maywati had declared before the trust vote that the party's two legislators in the Uttarakhand Assembly would support Harish Rawat.

Though the Congress suffered a setback  in the loss of its legislator Rekha Arya, who crossed over to the BJP just before the floor test, the party acquired another. The BJP's Bhim Lal Arya walked into the Assembly with Harish Rawat and said he would vote for the Congress.

 After excluding the nine disqualified MLAs, who can not vote  following a Supreme Court directive, the Assembly has an effective strength of 62 members. The Congress has 27 members including the Speaker in the 71-member Assembly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 27 members and a rebel who can vote. Two independents and one Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) member are with the Congress while the stand of two Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) members is not clear.

With nine rebels being disqualified, any side would need a majority of 32 to win the trust vote. 

The proceedings were recorded on video.