Uttarakhand CM designate Bahuguna assures to work with full integrity (Update)

New Delhi, Mar 12 (ANI): Congress leader Vijay Bahuguna after being selected on Monday to be the next Chief Minister of Uttarakhand assured that he would work with full commitment and devotion to lead the state on the path of progress.

Bahuguna, the Member of Parliament from Tehri Garhwal, also expressed his gratitude to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for considering him apt for the top post.

"I express my gratitude to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for putting her trust on me. I assure my fellow Congress leaders and the public that I will work with full fidelity to make Uttarakhand a very good and prosperous state. I once again thank Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he told the media here.

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad earlier disclosed that Sonia Gandhi has chosen Bahugana to be the chief minister of Uttarakhand

"Vijay Bahuguna will be the chief minister of Uttarakhand," he said.

Azad had earlier in the day said talks with the newly elected legislators in Uttarakhand had concluded and they would soon announce the name of the chief minister.

"BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) has also extended their support. There is no problem, as I told you that day before yesterday we were talking to each individual MLA and we were done with that by evening, and we couldn't talk to our members of parliament, and two or three independent MLA's who are supporting us and yesterday we finished that task also," he said.

In the 70-member Assembly, Congress has emerged as the largest party with 32 MLAs and has the support of three independent MLAs and one from UKD. The Bahujan Samaj Party, having strength of three members, has pledged its unconditional support to Congress, raising its tally to 39. (ANI)