Uttrakhand CM Khanduri Resigns

Uttrakhand Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri has resigned more than a month after Bharatiya Janata Party's rout in the Lok Sabha election in the state and mounting dissidence against him. 75 year old Khanduri gave his resignation to party Chief Rajnath Singh on Monday night after a meeting of senior leaders at the residence of L K Advani when it was decided to replace him.

A meeting of the BJP legislature party has been to called New Delhi on Wednesday to elect a successor to Khanduri amidst reports that two ministers in his cabinet, Prakash Pant and Ramesh Pokhriyal are said to be in the race for the top post. "Khanduri had taken moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttrakhand and had offered to resign which has been accepted," Singh told to reporters.