Mulayam plan hits roadblock

UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's gambit to prove his majority before dissolving the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on January 15 to pre-empt imposition of President's Rule hit a roadblock today.

Governor TV Rajeshwar was learnt to have objected to the move on the grounds that the Assembly could not be reconvened just 12 days after it was prorogued.

Following the announcement of resignation by four Rashtriya Lok Dal ministers on Tuesday, the Samajwadi Party government had decided to reconvene the House on January 15. It had been prorogued on January 3.

Proving his majority before recommending the dissolution of the Assembly would have ensured Yadav's continuation as the head of a caretaker government regardless of the Supreme Court verdict on the fate of 40 MLAs who had defected from the BSP to support the SP government.

Yadav's strategy was clear "" that even in the event of an adverse ruling that would reduce his government to a minority, his government would continue in a caretaker capacity. The governor's objection now threatens the SP's gameplan.

The Congress party, which would favour President's Rule, but doesn't want to take the risk of making a martyr out of Mulayam by forcing him to quit , is hoping that an adverse ruling by the apex court will reduce the UP government to a minority, thus giving justification for central rule.

Following Yadav's decision to prove his majority a day before the court verdict, the Congress party was learnt to have swung into action to ensure that the government is defeated on the Floor of the House. It is learnt to be banking on the Independents to ensure Yadav's ouster.

Although AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Ashok Gehlot asserted today that his party had "nothing to do" with the RLD's decision to withdraw from the SP-led government, party sources said that RLD chief Ajit Singh had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi about a month back and is in touch with her political secretary Ahmad Patel after announcing the resignation of his ministers.

Gehlot did not rule out the possibility of the RLD joining the UPA at the Centre: "There are all such possibilities in politics, although there have been no such talks at my level."

Meanwhile, Yadav claimed at a press conference in Lucknow that his government enjoyed majority support and there was no threat to it in the wake of resignations by RLD ministers.

He said that the RLD had not withdrawn its support and he was yet to receive resignations of the four ministers. "I was in Lucknow yesterday and could have met Ajit to sort out problems if any," he said.

"I am always ready to meet him and discuss all issues related to the interest of farmers. The decision to announce cane support price was taken at a Cabinet meeting where all the RLD ministers were present and they had not objected to the decision," he said.