In poll-bound UP, SP-led govt loses Cong's trust

The govt, with a thin majority, may seek a trust vote today.

In a move that will set the stage for a keen fight in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, due soon, the Congress today withdrew support to the SP-led government, a day before the beginning of a crucial Assembly session.

The session has been necessitated by the withdrawal of support to the government by Ajit Singh's Rashtyria Lok Dal, which has 15 MLAs in the 403-member House. The government may table a trust motion in the Assembly tomorrow, sources say.

The SP has 152 members while its ally, the Loktantrik Bahujan Dal, has 33. The SP also has the support of 16 Independents and two Loktantrik Congress Party members, besides the lone CPI(M) member, taking its tally to 204. Two seats are vacant.

Congress state President Salman Khursheed said the party leadership would meet Governor TV Rajeswar tomorrow and inform him of the decision.

He said that the Congress had extended outside support to the government in order to keep the "communal forces" at bay. "It appears that the state government has joined hands with the communal forces leaving us with no choice but to withdraw our support," he said.

Khursheed said the state government deliberately delayed investigation into the sensational Nithari killings of children. "The law and order situation in the state had turned for the worse. There is no rule of law in the state," he alleged.

Reacting to the move, the Samajwadi Party said it was very much on the cards. "We knew the Congress could withdraw support as it has joined hands with communal and casteist forces," SP General Secretary and Minister for Transport Naresh Agarwal said.

He, however, said that the SP would continue its outside support to the UPA government at the Centre. Agarwal urged the Election Commission to announce the dates for the elections soon to clear the uncertainty in the state.