Calling Uttarakhand a "textbook example of breakdown of governance," Union minister Arun Jaitley said, "A division of vote was asked but was rejected... This is the first time that a failed bill was passed without a division of vote."

The Congress said it will challenge the decision in court and show that the Narendra Modi government is out to "destabilise" governments in Congress-ruled states. "They have repeated the Arunachal experiment here," said senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal.

Uttarakhand Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal, who had put nine rebel Congress lawmakers on notice, said on Sunday they stand disqualified under the anti-defection law.

A disqualification reduces the strength of the 70-member house to 61. So the Congress, with its 27 remaining lawmakers and support from others, would have had an effective strength of 33 -- enough to win Monday's trust vote. The BJP had 28 lawmakers.

The Cabinet had recommended the imposition of Central rule in the state on Saturday night following an hour-long emergency meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Sunday, it received the formal nod from President Pranab Mukherjee.

Claiming he is yet to get the notification about President's Rule, Mr Rawat said there was "no parallel in history" in which a government is sacked hours before it is expected to prove majority.

The crisis started earlier this month, when nine Congress lawmakers, including former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, rebelled and siding with the BJP, demanded a division of votes on the finance bill.

When the BJP sought the government's dismissal and staked claim to form the government, the Congress lawmakers had even gone to meet the Governor.

On Saturday, the rebel lawmakers released a sting video of Mr Rawat, alleging that he had indulged in horse-trading to save his government. In the video, Mr Rawat is purportedly seen talking to the owner of a news channel about lawmakers being brought to his side through bribery.