M A I N   N E W S

Mayawati has majority: Governor

Lucknow, November 2
Uttar Pradesh Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri today said the present government enjoyed a majority as none of the dissident BJP MLAs had withdrawn support from the BSP-BJP coalition led by Ms Mayawati.

In a written statement issued here this evening, the Governor said in future, if the dissident BJP MLAs withdrew support or if the Samajwadi Party furnished a letter signed by these MLAs withdrawing support from the government, it would be considered by Raj Bhavan.

He clarified that the 12 BJP MLAs who met him on October 31 did not mention anything about withdrawing support from the government in their memorandum.

When questioned by the Governor to this effect, they denied that they had withdrawn support from the government.

The dissidents, in the memorandum, had only requested that the session of the legislative assembly be convened so that an explanation may be sought from the government about its “undignified and undemocratic” style of functioning besides proving its confidence again in the House.

Yesterday, the Samajwadi Party had handed over a list of 204 MLAs to the Governor and staked claim to form an alternative government.

This evening, former state Chief Minister Kalyan Singh met the Governor and demanded calling of a special session of the state Assembly to test the ‘majority’ of the government.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today ruled out a special session of the state assembly and indicated that the BSP and the BJP would jointly contest mid-term elections if these were “forced” on the state.

Addressing a press conference here to mark six months in office, Ms Mayawati denied any threat to her government and said there was no reason to call a special session of the assembly when the coalition enjoyed a majority in the Vidhan Sabha.

She also ruled out mid-term elections in the state, claiming that her government would complete its full term. However, if mid-term Assembly elections were held, the BSP would certainly go in for an alliance with the BJP, she added.

She termed the SP’s claim of support of 37 BJP MLAs a hoax. Ms Mayawati disclosed that the 37 dissident BJP MLAs backed out at the last moment when they realised that the SP was merely using them as a pawn in its game of power.

On whether she had objected to the induction of independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya in her ministry, she maintained that she had accepted each and every name approved by the BJP. However, she ruled out further expansion of her ministry.

To a query about political differences with BJP leader Rajnath Singh, the BSP leader said she had left all her grievances after the coalition government took charge in the state.

The BSP leader also lauded the Congress for acting in a restrained manner in the present political crisis and rejecting the offer of the SP. Mr Mulayam Singh had been indulging in similar “dramas” since February last to become the Chief Minister and had at least thrice made all-out efforts to dismiss the coalition government, she said.

The BSP vice-president also refuted reports about party president Kanshi Ram having met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over a possible electoral alliance between the two parties for the next Lok Sabha elections.

She reiterated the BSP’s commitment for an electoral tie-up with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh during the next general elections.

“We will jointly contest the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh but in other states the party might have other combinations,” she remarked.

On the support by independent MLA Mokhtar Ansari to her party, she said it was a homecoming for Mr Ansari as he was a former BSP leader. Asked if the party was encouraging criminals to return to the party fold, she quipped, “We are giving an opportunity to the criminals to mend their ways.”

To a question about the allegation levelled by some dissident legislators about politically motivated police harassment, she said the action had been taken against some MLAs as per the law and there was no political vendetta.

Meanwhile, in an effort to find an amicable solution to the dissident activity in the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP, two rebel MLAs today met senior leader Kushabhau Thakre at the party office here.

According to party sources, Mr Puran Singh Bundela and Mr Ravindra Pundir met Mr Thakre for about 15 minutes. Yesterday, another dissident, Mr Shivakant Ojha, met Mr Thakre. Details of their talks were kept secret.

Mr Bundela and Mr Pundir were among the 12 dissident BJP MLAs who met the Governor on October 31 to express their lack of confidence in the BSP-BJP government and demanding a fresh vote of confidence.

Sources said the party high command had achieved much progress in solving the fortnight-long crisis plaguing the state unit. UNI