New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS): There is more turmoil in the offing for the Uttarakhand BJP unit after the exit of Yashpal Arya and his son. Sources say that next month more BJP leaders are in the queue to join the Congress, but the party is weighing their utility in the upcoming elections.

The Congress leadership is directly taking specific inputs from the state leaders. Congress leaders are not taking names but reportedly two BJP MLAs with a RSS background are ready to switch sides in the state. Former Chief Minister Harish Rawat claimed that MLAs from the BJP camp are in touch with the party leaders.

Rawat wants a public apology from the leaders who quit the Congress and joined the BJP in 2016 but the Congress leadership is in talks with these leaders who now want to join the party.

A sharp reaction came from Uttarakhand Minister Harak Singh Rawat who countered Harish Rawat, asking whether Yashpal Arya has apologized or regretted his statement.

The Congress has got a big boost ahead of the elections as Arya is a prominent Dalit leader in Uttarakhand. He was holding the Excise, Transport and Social Welfare ministry. His joining will help the Congress as the state has a sizeable population of Dalits. Arya was earlier with the Congress and is the tallest Scheduled Caste leader in the state from Kumaon region.

Congress General Secretary and Chairman of the Campaign Committee Harish Rawat, who has been pivotal in the whole operation, said that the Congress morale is high in the state after Arya came back to the party fold.

Uttarakhand goes to the polls next year and the Congress is the main opposition party in the state.

With many BJP leaders joining the Congress, which was on shaky ground due to the entry of the Aam Aadmi Party in the state, it is likely to be strengthened. Moreover, the internal rift within the party will also subside, the party claimed.