Lucknow, January 9
Triggering political unsteadiness in the state the Samajwadi party’s main coalition partner and fair weather friend the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) withdrew from the government today with three ministers handing over their resignations to party president Ajit Singh.

Addressing mediapersons at the VVIP guest house, Ajit Singh declared that his ministers were quitting the government on the issue of inadequate support price for the sugarcane farmers.

While he admitted that the “alliance was no longer in place”, he did not clearly say if the 15 RLD MLAs would also withdraw support from the government.

According to Ajit Singh with poll in the state due and no Assembly session in the near future the issue of continuation of support to the government held no meaning. Technically, the Congress is also supporting the Samajwadi party government in Lucknow just as Mulayam is supporting the Congress in New Delhi, he pointed out.

Asked if his party would also demand President rule in the state Ajit Singh said all further decisions would be taken at the party’s working committee meeting scheduled for next week.

In political circles Ajit Singh walking out of the government to counter the anti-incumbency factor and strike a better deal was being considered to be a matter of time. However, the Kavita murder case led to the nose-diving of relations between the two parties.

Officially the reason for the RLD finally parting compan from the Samajwadi party government after enjoying the perks of office for three years is the ‘marginal’ hike in the State Advisory Price (SAP) of sugarcane announced by the Chief Minister in the recently-concluded monsoon session of the Assembly.

While the RLD had demanded the SAP to be Rs 200 per quintal, the government had hiked it to mere Rs 122 per quintal.

Responding to the RLD ministers resignation, Samajwadi party general secretary and PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said decision to quit the government would have no impact on the stability of the government.

Putting up a brave face Yadav said, “We have fulfilled our duties as a alliance partner and the RLD is at liberty to take any decision”.

Transport Minister Naresh Aggarwal said the sugarcane farmers had got the best deal under the present government and thus inadequate support price was a non-issue.

Congress spokesperson A.K. Singh said with the resignation of the RLD ministers Mulayam Singh Yadav had “lost the moral right to rule”. Under such circumstances, the UPCC spokesperson requested the governor to take a decision regarding the government keeping the interests of the people in mind.

The resignations have come at a time when the Samajwadi party government is under severe attack from opponents both in New Delhi and at the state over the law and order situation.

The state government had to order CBI inquiries into the serial killings of children in Nithari village in Noida where skeletons had been recovered as well as in the Kavita murder case in Meerut in which the names of at least 3 ruling alliance ministers was doing the rounds.

While, the departure of the RLD would be a political setback to the ruling party it would not disturb the number game.