'Khanduri to be U'khand CM if BJP voted back to power'

B C Khanduri will remain the chief minister of Uttarakhand if the party is voted back to power as he possesses all the skills necessary for the post, including vision and transparency, Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

"The party is fighting elections collectively but B C Khanduri will be the next chief minister (of Uttarakhand if the BJP won the polls)," he said.

"Five things -- leadership, vision, transparency, commitment and will power -- are necessary for the development of any place and Khanduri has all these five things," Gadkari said.

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Khanduri had recently replaced Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank as the state chief minister following charges of corruption against him. He made it clear that party has not discredited any leader and said good work was done by the BJP government under the leadership of Nishank, including successful conduct of Mahakumbh mela in 2010.

Gadkari claimed Uttarakhand has made good progress in the past 10 years in comparison to the parent state of Uttar Pradesh and the BJP government has played a major role in it. "For further development, the people of the state should vote for BJP," he added.

Regarding corruption charges against Babu Singh Kushwaha, who had recently quit the Bahujan Samaj Party to join the BJP, Gadkari said the allegations of corruption against him are not proved. "We never support corruption. If he (Kushwaha) is found guilty, he too will have to face its consequences," he said.

On National Rural Health Mission scam, Gadkari said his party demands strong action against those involved in the scam.

In Uttarakhand, the BJP would develop tourism in the state to create new avenues for jobs. Besides, the party would also develop the hydro-power sector in the region, he said. "We will also launch efforts to contain inflation and provide a corruption-free government," he said.