Tirath Singh Rawat sworn in as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand

Tirath Singh Rawat has big shoes to fill: His chief ministership creates more problems for BJP than it can solve

Tirath Singh Rawat, Lok Sabha (LS) Member of Parliament from Pauri Garhwal, on Wednesday took oath as the new Chief Minister (CM) of Uttarakhand, solving one problem for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP,) but creating many more.

With Assembly elections just a year away, Trirath replaces Trivendra Singh Rawat, his predecessor, in a move that is both abrupt and awkward. Trivendra had steered the state for four years, managed the difficult task of creating Uttarakhand’s new capital, Gairsain, and was set to celebrate the BJP government’s fourth year in power (on March 18) when he was axed, ostensibly in response