The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, April 30, 2002, Chandigarh, India

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Mayawati invited to form govt
May be sworn in on May 3
Biswajeet Banerjee

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Monday night decided to recommend to President K.R. Narayanan the revocation of President’s rule in UP in the wake of the BSP and the BJP forming an alliance to form a coalition government in the state. President’s rule was imposed on UP on March 4. PTI

Lucknow, April 29
Convinced that the BSP Vice-President, Ms Mayawati, has the required numbers under her belt, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, has invited her to form government. Ms Mayawati is likely to take oath of office on May 3.

She has been asked to prove her majority on the floor of the House within 21 days of her taking charge, said Mr Shastri.

BSP leader Mayawati, along with former UP Chief Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior BJP leaders, addresses a joint press conference at the BJP office in Lucknow on Monday. — PTI photo

Ms Mayawati, who would be the Chief Minister of the state for the third time, met the Governor today at noon and staked a claim to form government. In her meeting with the Governor, which lasted for over half an hour, she gave the letter of support of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and three independent legislators.

Earlier, the leader of the BJP legislature party, Mr Rajnath Singh, handed over the letter of support of his party along with allies to the Governor. The allies include Lok Janshakti Party, Janata Dal (U), Loktantrik Congress Party (LCP) and two Independents.

The Governor told newspersons that, prima facie, he was convinced that the Mayawati-led BJP-BSP coalition had enough numbers and would be able to provide a stable government in the state. “Therefore, I have invited Ms Mayawati to form government,” said Mr Shastri.

In the 403-member House, whose effective strength is 399, Ms Mayawati needs the support of just 200 legislators. As per the Governor’s own admission, she has the support of 211 legislators.

The 211 legislators supporting Ms Mayawati, whose party has 97 MLAs, include 88 of the BJP, 14 of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and two each of the Janata Dal (United), the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Loktrantrik Congress Party (LCP) while the rest are Independents.

The lone member of the Lok Parivartan Party, a breakaway group of the BSP, Mr R.K. Choudhury, who was elected on the support of the BJP, is not among the list of MLAs supporting the coalition.

Elaborating on the agreement reached between the BSP and the BJP at the residence of Prime Minister yesterday, she said the BSP would support the NDA government from the outside. The BSP has 13 members in the Lok Sabha and four in the Rajya Sabha.

The BSP will also support BJP in the coming elections of President and Vice-President of India and the two parties will contest the next parliamentary elections slated for 2004, as allies. “This alliance would, however, be limited to Uttar Pradesh only,” she said.

Ms Mayawati emphasised that her government’s priority would be to work for the Dalits, most backward classes and the religious minority. Talking to reporters at the state office of the BJP, Ms Mayawati was quick to clarify that “she would not ignore other section of society” but her emphasis would be to work for the uplift of Dalits.

She accepted that the government would work under a common minimum programme and would have a coordination committee with members from each ally. Mr Rajnath Singh, who earlier had been opposing this alliance, said it was political compulsion which had brought the parties together.

Earlier, when Ms Mayawati reached Lucknow, she was given a warm welcome at the Amausi airport. The city was painted blue — the colour of the BSP flag and there was wide jubilation at the BSP office. In contrast, enthusiasm was missing at the BJP office.