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Mulayam pre-empts RLD's `pull-out' move

Atiq Khan

21 MLAs meet Governor, pledge support to SP-led Government

PHOTO: Subir Roy

SHOW OF STRENGTH: U.P. Ministers Ambika Chowdhury and Naresh Agarwal coming out of Raj Bhavan after parading 21 MLAs belonging to different parties in front of Governor T.V. Rajeswar in Lucknow on Friday.

LUCKNOW: In what is seen as a move to pre-empt a possible pullout of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, which has 15 MLAs, from the ruling coalition in Uttar Pradesh, 21 MLAs met the Governor, T.V. Rajeswar, at Raj Bhavan here on Friday and pledged their support to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. In a signed representation to the Governor, they re-affirmed their faith in the Government.

The 21 MLAs comprised seven BJP legislators, five unattached members in the State Assembly who won the last election on the BJP ticket, two of the Bahujan Samaj Party, one of the Congress, and six Independents. They are: Amarjit Singh Jansewak, Rajiv Kumar Singh, Shivendra Singh, Mahendra Singh Yadav, Ravindra Pundeer, Sovran Singh Yadav, Shyam Singh Aheria (all BJP); Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, Kovid Kumar Singh, Daya Shankar Verma, Anil Verma, Narendra Verma (unattached); Kuldeep Sengar, Kapil Deo Singh Yadav (BSP); Shamimul Haque (Congress); and Mithilesh, Hoshiar Singh, Vijay Singh, Devendra Nagpal, Jitendra alias Pappu Jaiswal and Madan Bhaiya (Independents).

Two other BJP MLAs, Chhotey Lal Verma and Sandeep Agarwal, are likely to follow suit on Saturday and submit their support to the Government in writing to the Governor.

The two BSP MLAs were recently expelled from the party by Mayawati for indulging in anti-party activities.

These MLAs were accompanied to the Raj Bhavan by Transport Minister Naresh Agarwal, Revenue Minister Ambika Chaudhary, Minister of State for PWD Arvind Singh "Gope" and Yashwant Singh, MLC. Mr. Yadav's strategic move comes close on the heels of RLD president Chaudhary Ajit Singh's meeting with Mr. Rajeswar on Thursday night which lasted about 20 minutes. Though RLD sources maintained that Mr. Singh had paid a courtesy call on the Governor, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister wasted no time in strengthening his defences.

These MLAs had already pledged their faith in the Mulayam Government and occupied the Treasury benches in the Vidhan Sabha. The Chief Minister responded by making the five unattached members chairpersons and vice-chairmen of State corporations along with the status of Minister of State. But as Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh told The Hindu , "our support is with the Government; only this time we have given it in writing just to ensure that it is made official. At least the Governor should have a proper record of the MLAs' faith in the Government".

Revenue Minister Ambika Chaudhary attributed the written support of the MLAs to pressure from their voters who wanted "them to go along with the Chief Minister". Both Mr. Chaudhary and Mr. Agarwal denied that Chaudhary Ajit Singh would withdraw support.

Sources close to the Chief Minister said that Mr. Yadav was readying himself for the big fight in the event of his government's dismissal and imposition of President's rule. Sources said even as the Congress, BJP and BSP wanted next year's Vidhan Sabha elections to be held under President's rule, Mr. Yadav was keen to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister after the dissolution of the State Assembly. On Thursday Mr. Yadav had told newspersons that he would not dissolve the Assembly, which is currently in session, till "I have completed my agenda." When asked to spell out the agenda, the Chief Minister replied, "Public welfare figures is high on my agenda."

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Mulayam pre-empts RLD's `pull-out' move

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