PHOTO: PTI

A CLEVER MOVE?: Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh with his party leaders in Lucknow on Tuesday after announcing resignations of his party ministers from the Samajwadi-led Government in Uttar Pradesh.

LUCKNOW: Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh's "parting shot" to his (former) alliance partner — Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav — has triggered speculation about the fate of the three-and-a-half-year-old Samajwadi Party Government.

On a day of hectic political developments, rumours about the fate of the Government and Uttar Pradesh being placed under President's rule started from the morning soon after Mr. Yadav returned to Lucknow without addressing the scheduled party function at Saharanpur. The function was due to start at 10 a.m. but was cancelled after the Chief Minister failed to make it.

Dense fog

Officials of the Chief Minister's Secretariat later said Mr. Yadav's programme was cancelled after his helicopter failed to land at Sarsawan, about 16 kilometres from Saharanpur, due to dense fog. "There was no other option for him but to return to Lucknow," said one official.

On Monday, Governor T.V. Rajeswar presented a detailed report on the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, including the Nithari serial killings and Kavita Rani case, to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

SP unfazed

The Samajwadi Party, however, appeared unfazed at the developments. Party sources claimed that the resignations by four RLD Ministers would be withdrawn after the Chief Minister raised the sugarcane price further.

These sources claimed that a senior Samajwadi Party leader was already in touch with a Lok Dal leader (not Mr. Singh) and the price may be hiked by Rs. 10 per quintal.

Support not withdrawn?

Transport Minister Naresh Agarwal, who was reportedly commissioned by the Chief Minister to keep a tab on the developments in the RLD camp, told reporters that Mr. Singh had not withdrawn support to the Government. Mr. Agarwal who claimed to have met the RLD chief in the morning (the resignations were announced at 3 p.m.) said the SP and the RLD would contest the coming Assembly elections as alliance partners.

Mr. Agarwal denied any threat to the Government and stated that it would complete its term.

(The term of the State Assembly expires on May14, 2007).

Meanwhile, the Congress has demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister in the wake of the RLD Ministers' resignations.

Chief spokesperson of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Akhilesh Pratap Singh said collective responsibility was vested in the Council of Ministers and following the resignations, it had lost its credibility.

Stating that the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government had been reduced to a minority, Mr. Singh urged the Governor to exercise his Constitutional powers in Uttar Pradesh.

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