SP claims majority; alleges Cong plan for President's rule

Lucknow, Mar 1 (UNI) The ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh today claimed its majority in the legislative assembly and charged Opposition Congress with trying to impose President's rule in the state.

State Parliamentary Affairs minister Md Azam Khan asserted here that the Mulayam Singh Yadav government enjoyed the support of 234 legislators in the assembly. ''While 207 MLAs have extended support during a confidence vote, five more legislators have extended their written support...in all we have the support of 234 MLAs.'' He also charged Congress with trying to impose President's rule in the state. ''Let me make it very clear: any popular government should be allowed to prove its majority on the floor of the house...we have already won a confidence vote yesterday,'' he said.

Charging the Congress with trying to vitiate the ''political environment'' of UP, he said the SP would not bow to any pressure.

''We have the people's mandate,'' he added.

He repeated the allegation of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav that Congress was increasingly using Raj Bhawans as political tools to destabilise non-Congress state governments.

UNI NAB MB RP PM2004