Party delegation meets Governor
A CONGRESS delegation led by UPCC chief Salman Khurshid, which met the governor TV Rajeswar today, demanded removal of 18 ministers from the SP-led coalition government. These ministers are from the BSP’s breakaway faction which was merged in Samajwadi Party in 2003.
Talking to newsmen, Khurshid and Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari said with the quashing of the then Speaker’s order recognising the BSP rebels new party and later its merger with the SP, the continuation of these ministers in Mulayam Singh Yadav ministry had become unconstitutional.
Khurshid said the party had asked the Governor to look into the issue, as after the high court judgment these ministers had become members of the BSP. He said since the BSP chief Mayawati and BSP legislature party leader Swami Prasad Mauarya had not given permission to them to join the ministry they should be removed from the government. He said after the court order, their continuation in the ministry was not valid. The UPCC chief said even the chief minister should resign on moral grounds. Khurshid said the judgment was clear on one issue that the BSP’s breakaway faction was back to its old party as the Speaker’s two orders in this connection had been quashed. Khurshid said the party was in contact with other parties including the Rashtriya Lok Dal.
Tiwari said since constitutional crisis had arisen in the state, the party had sought the Governor’s intervention in the matter. He said the governor had assured the delegation of taking appropriate action on the issue. He said there was no alternative with the rebel MLAs but to return to the BSP. Since they were now BSP members, they could not legally continue as ministers. He said if they refused to resign, the governor should take appropriate action to rectify the anomaly in the Mulayam-led government. Referring to the Congress support to the government, Tiwari said the party had never given support in the name of Mulayam Singh Yadav. He said after the departure of Mayawati government, the party had given written undertaking to the Governor that it would support an alternative government. However, he said for a long time the party had stopped supporting the state government on any issue. Even during the lobby division after trust motion on Tuesday, the Congress MLAs were in the opposition lobby, Tiwari said.
{{/usCountry}}Tiwari said since constitutional crisis had arisen in the state, the party had sought the Governor’s intervention in the matter. He said the governor had assured the delegation of taking appropriate action on the issue. He said there was no alternative with the rebel MLAs but to return to the BSP. Since they were now BSP members, they could not legally continue as ministers. He said if they refused to resign, the governor should take appropriate action to rectify the anomaly in the Mulayam-led government. Referring to the Congress support to the government, Tiwari said the party had never given support in the name of Mulayam Singh Yadav. He said after the departure of Mayawati government, the party had given written undertaking to the Governor that it would support an alternative government. However, he said for a long time the party had stopped supporting the state government on any issue. Even during the lobby division after trust motion on Tuesday, the Congress MLAs were in the opposition lobby, Tiwari said.
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