I am a former CM, not the future one: Koshiyari

Former chief minister of Uttrakhand Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, in an exclusive conversation with rediff.com on Monday, denied that he was lobbying with the Central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party to ease out Bhuvan Chand Khandoori.

"My main aim it to work for the unity of the party," Koshiyari said when asked what was  he trying to achieve by destabilising his own party's government in the state, especially at a time when the BJP is passing through a tough time, after it lost the Lok Sabha election, 2009.

Interestingly, Koshiyari claimed that he had come to Delhi to take rest on the advise of his doctor. Anti-Koshiyari camp found it amusing that a doctor should have told the former CM to take rest in Delhi, instead of asking him to go to hill resort.

Supporters of Koshiyari have high stakes in bringing about change in the leadership of

Uttrakhand. Victory of Kapkot provided the much needed impetus to the party and Koshiyari supporters, who are asking for the replacement of Khandoori, as BJP lost all the five Lok Sabha seats to Congress.

"No I did not meet any party leader. I am former CM and not future CM of the state," he said. According to party sources, senior party leaders did not encourage Koshiyari as the parliamentary board had decided in favour of continuation of Khandoori as the CM of Uttarakhand.