Lucknow, May 12
Uttar Pradesh Governor T.V. Rajeswar formally invited BSP chief Mayawati to form the next government today.

A visibly upbeat Mayawati talked briefly to the media at the Raj Bhawan gates and said the newly-elected MLAs had unanimously elected her as the leader of the BSP legislative party. She would be sworn in as the UP chief minister for the fourth time on the Raj Bhawan lawns at 1 pm tomorrow.

When asked if any other minister would be sworn in along with her, she said she would let the media know when a decision was taken in this regard.

Earlier, during a meeting held at the party headquarters at Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Mayawati was elected leader of the BSP legislative party by a show of hands by her MLAs. After that, senior leader Indrajit Saroj and state unit president Lalji Verma proposed her name. The CM designate thanked the MLAs for supporting her and told them that she would meet the Governor shortly, later to be invited by him to form the government. Later, armed with the letter of support, she met T.V. Rajeswar.

Quite uncharacteristic of her style, while addressing the MLAs at the meeting, she said the meeting was being held in the presence of the media to ensure that later there was no talk of any pressure in the process.

Mayawati became the first Dalit Chief Minister in India in 1993 when she assumed reins after her party won the polls in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. She then became the CM in 1997 in alliance with the BJP, and later again with the help of the saffron party in 2002.

The process for administering oath to Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati as the chief minister for the record fourth time in UP received the official stamp after the Election Commission formally notified the formation of the 15th assembly this evening.