M A I N   N E W S

UP RLD legislators arrive in Shimla
Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 10
Legislators of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), who have been on the run ever since the party withdrew its support to the Mayawati government, arrived here this afternoon from Srinagar.

Out of the total 13 legislators of the party only 11 have come to Shimla. While Mr Jaswant Singh could not accompany the flock because of the marriage of his brother, Ms Anuradha Chaudhary, the only woman member in the group, could not make it to Shimla due to some personal engagement.

The entire group has been camping in Srinagar since June 1. They have been moving from one Congress-ruled state to the other to remain out of the reach of the Mayawati government.

The legislators who are staying here in PWD Rest House, were feeling safe under heavy security deployed by the Himachal Government. They maintained that they were not under any pressure and had come here on their own to enjoy the summer in the cool climes of the hill resort.

Mr Kokab Hamid, the leader of the group, said the Mayawati government had been reduced to a minority following the withdrawal of support by his party. He said the Mayawati government was formed with the support of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and it must prove its majority on the floor of House.

Mr Hamid urged the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Vishnukant Shastri, to ask Ms Mayawati to prove her majority. The party would continue to fight for the cause of the farming community, particularly in Uttar Pradesh where it had been handed out a raw deal by the state government. The group has no definite plans for its stay in Shimla. The rest house has been booked by them upto June 14. Members maintained that they would move out as soon as their leader, Mr Ajit Singh, gave them the signal. They were in constant touch with him. However, they asserted that their sojourn in Shimla had nothing to do with the political situation in Uttar Pradesh.

Besides, Mr Hamid, Mr Pratap Chaudhary, Mr Virender Singh, Mr Ranbir Singh Mr Babu Lal, Mr Tej Pal, Mr Ganga Prasad, Mr Ajay Kumar, Mr Prem Singh, Mr Rajpal Singh and Swami Umesh were staying in the rest house.