SAS1504 - V?r 2006


Date:01/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/01/stories/2006030110650100.htm



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Mulayam seeks, wins trust vote amid high drama

Special Correspondent

After Allahabad High Court disqualifies 40 BSP rebel MLAs who joined SP in 2003

  • Bench leaves it to Speaker to decide on disqualification
  • Entire Opposition stages walkout

    • NEW DELHI: The Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government on Tuesday sought and won a trust vote in the Assembly within minutes of the Allahabad High Court's verdict in a case seeking disqualification of 40 Bahujan Samaj Party rebels, who joined the Samajwadi Party in 2003.

    Delivering the judgment on a BSP petition, the Lucknow Bench by a 2:1 majority held the merger invalid. It, however, did not decide on the question of the MLAs' disqualification. The court remanded the matter back to the Speaker, asking him decide on it.

    BSP whip defied

    Even as the BSP, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Government moved and won the confidence vote with 207 votes to nil in a House with a strength of 402. Apparently the 40 rebel MLAs voted with the Government, defying a BSP whip. The entire Opposition, including the BJP and the BSP staged a walkout.

    The Congress, an "outside supporter," was absent although only two days ago its leader Salman Khursheed said the party would withdraw support to the Government. Mr. Yadav moved the confidence motion minutes after the judgment, taking the Opposition and his political detractors by surprise.

    The BSP claimed that the defiance of the whip reinforced its view that the Speaker must disqualify the 40 MLAs.

    No threat: Amar Singh

    Asserting that there was no threat to the Mulayam Singh Government, SP general secretary Amar Singh said here that the party would take a collective decision on moving the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict. On the demand for Mr. Yadav's resignation on moral grounds, Mr. Singh retorted: "Did the Prime Minister or the Home Minister resign after the Supreme Court's judgment on dissolution of the Bihar Assembly?"

    The Mulayam Singh Yadav Government depends for its survival on the continued support of the Rashtriya Lok Dal's 15 MLAs. Its chief Ajit Singh has not yet given any indication of withdrawing support, though he warned partymen to be prepared for early elections.

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