I am not going to poach upon BJP: Bahuguna

Hitting back at the opposition, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party should not fear about any poaching attempt from his side and asked the party to put its own house in order first.

"Let them (BJP) feel safe. I am not going to poach upon them," Bahuguna told PTI in an interview when asked whether he is in touch with some BJP members of Legislative Assembly for getting a seat vacated for himself to enter the Assembly.

Bahuguna, however, made it clear that he was not approaching anybody from BJP and nor has he authorised anybody from the Congress to approach the BJP in this regard.

"These are all conjunctures and kite flying," he said. Bahuguna's comments came days after the BJP took its MLAs to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh apparently fearing poaching by the Congress.

However, Bahuguna said he has some friends and well-wishers everywhere in the state. "I am friendly with everybody in all parties," he said.

On BJP's demand to seek a trust vote, Bahuguna said the party should first set its own house in order. "They [BJP] are ridiculing us for infighting in our party. But inner fighting in BJP is much more severe than us. They are yet to decide their leader of the opposition," Bahuguna said.

"I can only say that BJP is in shambles and should put is own house in order," he said.

In this regard, he said he would not seek trust vote as the Congress has already proved its majority by winning the speaker's election. "Moreover, the passage of vote-on-account as well as Rajya Sabha elections in the coming days would also prove our majority in the house. There is no need to bring a separate trust vote," he said.

On the Congress crisis in the wake of protests by Union minister Harish Rawat, Bahuguna said he looks at the party's affairs differently and look it as "challenges" within the party.

"This is a race. You have to move. You may or may not agree to the decisions, but you have to move. I don't compromise with discipline," said Bahuguna, who became chief minister on March 13.

However, Bahuguna said the Congress leaders must understand that such decisions are taken by the party high command and that they should not show dissent publicly.

But he made it clear that he has no "bitterness" against Rawat or other MLAs opposing him.

On being asked whether Congress leader Harak Singh Rawat be given the post of deputy chief minister, Bahuguna said it was upto the high command to take a decision in this  regard.

"One berth in the cabinet is vacant. It is a tricky job. The party high command takes a decision in consultation and not in concurrence with the chief minister and advice of the chief minister is not binding on them (party high command). They will decide whom they think fit for the cabinet," said Bahuguna.

However, he said there are many aspirants for the single cabinet berth.