The Hindu : RLD asks Mayawati to prove majority

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Monday, Jun 16, 2003

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RLD asks Mayawati to prove majority

By Our Special Correspondent

Photo: Sandeep Saxena

The Rashtriya Janata Dal president, Ajit Singh, addressing a press conference with party MLAs in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEW DELHI JUNE 15. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) today demanded the Uttar Pradesh Governor, Vishnu Kant Shastri, to direct the Chief Minister, Mayawati, to prove her Government's majority following the withdrawal of support by the RLD.

The RLD chief, Ajit Singh, said the President should appoint an observer in the likelihood of Ms. Mayawati seeking a confidence vote. The Opposition had earlier criticised the role of the Governor during the present crisis.

Addressing the press after a meeting of his party's Central and Western U.P. office-bearers and MLAs here, Mr. Singh said the days of the Mayawati-led coalition was numbered, with a steady rise in the number of dissidents. He said the elected representatives were under pressure from their constituents and people, he claimed, were dejected with the functioning of the State Government.

The RLD chief, whose party pulled out of the coalition Government last month, said the claims by Ms. Mayawati notwithstanding, the Government would lose the vote.

"It was after the BJP and the RLD gave written assurances that the Governor invited Ms. Mayawati to form the Government. Now that we have withdrawn support, she should be removed'', he said adding that if the Chief Minister was confident of proving her majority she should do so in the Assembly.

Mr. Singh ridiculed reports of a split in the 14-strong RLD Legislature Party. He said such predictions were made in the past too but were proved wrong. The RLD had recently moved its MLAs from the State to Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and to Himachal Pradesh in an apparent attempt to prevent poaching.

He also criticised the recent overseas tour by the Chief Minister. He said the trip was a waste of taxpayers' money since not a single MoU was signed nor any proposal firmed up attracting investment in the State.

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