LUCKNOW: The Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday suffered a jolt, with four Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Ministers resigning from the Council of Ministers.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's refusal to further increase the sugarcane price proved to be the flashpoint in the strained relations between him and RLD chief Ajit Singh.

Mr. Singh denied that the resignations were the fallout of Mr. Yadav referring the Kavita Rani murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, following which a present and a former Minister of the RLD stock resigned.

Tourism Minister Kokab Hameed, Animal Husbandry Minister Virendra Singh, Minister of State for Sugarcane Development Swami Omvesh and Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation and Flood Control Commission Anuradha Chaudhary, who enjoyed the rank of a Cabinet Minister, submitted their resignations to Mr. Singh, who said the letters would be sent to Mr. Yadav.

At a press conference, Mr. Singh said the resignations would not be withdrawn, as it "was virtually impossible to remain in the Government." He, however, downplayed the issue of his party's support to the Samajwadi Party (SP), stating that it was no longer relevant as Assembly elections were just two months away.

Neither had the Congress withdrawn support to the State Government; nor the SP ended its ties with the UPA [United Progressive Alliance] Government at the Centre, he pointed out.

Mr. Singh said he wrote three letters - on December 12, 19 and 25 - to Mr. Yadav, pointing that the current price would not benefit the farmers.

The price was increased to Rs. 130 a quintal on December 14.

It was insufficient. In the December 25 letter, Mr. Singh said, he demanded a price of Rs. 135.

Stating that his party's alliance with the SP was "conditional," Mr. Singh said he had always pointed out the Government's "shortcomings."

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