M A I N   N E W S

Mulayam wins confidence vote
Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service

Lucknow, January 25
With the help of at least 14 MLAs from the BJP, BSP and the RLD the Mulayam Singh Yadav government managed to win a vote of confidence in the Vidhan Sabha by 223 votes in a House of 402. With this Mulayam Singh Yadav proved beyond doubt that his government did not need the support of the Congress to stay in power.

The total strength of the SP along with its supporting parties stood at 209, yet the fact that it managed 223 votes in a lobby division during a simultaneous count of heads in the House on the Governor’s address as well as a vote of confidence, confirmed that the ruling party had managed to make a dent in the figures of the opposition parties.

Hinting at this development a few days ago SP general secretary and PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav had claimed that the opposition parties would be surprised to find the size of their parties altered during counting.

The government managed to sail through the crucial vote of confidence with the support of eight BJP MLAs. While seven of them had recently joined the SP, the surprise came when Chandramani Kant Singh, the Raja of Bhinga and till today the BJP MLA from Bahraich, voted for the government.

Similarly, the 15-member RLD block also failed to keep its flock together as three of its MLAs also voted for the government. These included Mr Ganga Prasad Pushkar from Agra, Mr Prem Singh from Mathura and the known disgruntled RLD MLA Samarpal Singh from Baghpat.

Even three BSP MLAs who had recently crossed over to the SP voted in their favour today. They are Ms Satto Devi, MLA from Saharanpur; Kuldeep Singh Sengar from Unnao and Narendra Kumar from Gautam Buddha Nagar.

Meanwhile, the entire Opposition boycotted the day’s proceedings demanding the state Transport Minister Naresh Aggarwal’s resignation for his remarks in the House on Tuesday.

In his reply on the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Mr Aggarwal had reportedly said if he had been the Chief Minister then the Congress Mayoral candidate would not have won in Allahabad. Responding to the Opposition’s amendments to the Governor’s address the Chief Minister waxed eloquent for almost 90 minutes to a House consisting of only his own party MLAs.

Before seeking a vote on the Governor’s motion the Chief Minister added a one-line proposal seeking the confidence of the House in his ministry as well.

The significance of today’s vote lay in the fact that even in view of a reverse Supreme Court judgment in the case of 33 former BSP MLAs, it would be difficult to dislodge the government as according to today’s position even minus these 33 controversial MLAs the state government has the support of 190 MLAs in a House of 402 where 10 MLAs do not have voting rights at present.

UP Governor gave in to Mulayam: Cong
Anita Katyal
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 25
Having failed in its attempt to unseat the Samajwadi Party-led government, Congress leaders are privately blaming Uttar Pradesh Governor T.V.Rajeshwar for upsetting their plans by succumbing to the Chief Minister’s pressure and convening an early session of the state Assembly.

The Congress had been banking on a favourable Supreme Court order in the defection case of 37 BSP legislators, who had crossed over to the Samajwadi Party, as the Mulayam Singh Yadav government would then be reduced to a minority.

The Congress game plan was to press the SP government to take a floor test after such an order, as it would then have collapsed on its own. The Congress does not want the upcoming Assembly polls to be held under Mr Yadav’s chief ministership because of his ability to use the administrative machinery to his advantage but at the same time, it does not want to sully its image by getting the UPA to impose Central rule.

As it happens, the Congress strategy was foiled as the Governor convened an early session. “ We would have liked the session to be held after the Supreme Court order. I don’t understand why the Governor had to rush and call such an early session,” remarked a senior AICC office-bearer, adding that Mr Rajeshwar had succumbed to Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav’s pressure. The Congress is also unhappy over the Governor’s numerous meetings with Central ministers, which left him open to charges from the Samajwadi Party that he was trying to dismiss his government in collusion with the Centre.

Having failed in its mission, the Congress changed its track today. It boycotted the House as it felt its participation in the confidence vote, would have lent legitimacy to the Mulayam Singh Yadav government. Congress sources admitted they would have voted against the SP if the session had been called after a favourable Supreme Court order. “We did not want to take part in the voting at this juncture as it would only give Mulayam Singh Yadav more legitimacy,” remarked a UP Congress leader.

By walking out, the Congress believes it has sufficient reason to question the validity of today’s vote, particularly since all Opposition parties boycotted it. The Congress is still hoping to press its demand for a floor test as and when the Supreme Court does pronounce a favourable order in the BSP MLAs’ defection case.

It is precisely for this reason that the Congress has constantly maintained that there was no reason for Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav to call this session or seek a confidence vote, as no opposition party had demanded one. While reiterating this stand, Mr Ashok Gehlot, AICC general secretary and in charge of UP, said they had always maintained that a fair election in UP was not possible under Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav’s chief ministership, adding that their stand was vindicated today when SP minister Naresh Aggarwal declared in the Assembly that they would go to any lengths to win an election.