Ahead of the assembly elections due in the next few months, speculation is rife in Uttarakhand unit of ruling BJP tonight about a change of guard in the wake of a series of alleged scams facing the government.

BJP sources here said chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, former chief ministers Bhuvan Chand Khanduri and Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, along with a host of other leaders, have been invited to New Delhi by BJP amid reports that Nishank would be replaced.

Both Khanduri and Koshiyari are not ready to contest elections under the leadership of Nishank, the sources said.

When contacted, state BJP president Bishan Singh Chufal, however, said he has no knowledge of any change of guard in the state.

Nishank is facing opposition from a section of the party leaders.

Recently, senior BJP leader and former tourism minister TPS Rawat, a Khanduri loyalist, quit BJP on the issue of alleged corruption scandals in the state. 

Significantly, both Khanduri and Koshiyari have conveyed to the party high command their displeasure over the current status of the party especially in view of a series of the scams.

A few months ago, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari had met Nishank, Khanduri and Koshiyari in New Delhi in his bid to resolve the factional feud in Uttarakhand unit of the party and asked them to remain united in the state.

The party is currently divided into three main camps of Nishank, Khanduri and Koshiyari.

The sources said Khanduri and Koshiyari have joined hands for the time being despite their political differences during the past few years.

Koshiyari had openly opposed Khanduri when he was being appointed as chief minister after the 2007 assembly elections.

Khanduri had been holding meetings of top party leaders at his residence in an apparent show of strength.