Mulayam dares BJP, Cong to dismiss his govt

Lucknow, Nov 10: Squarely blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress for 'using' the Raj Bhawan in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today dared them to dismiss his Samajwadi Party-led government in the state.

''We are ready to sacrifice our government but I challenge the BJP and Congress to give a valid reason for it,'' he said while intervening during the question hour in the state assembly.

Mr Yadav alleged that the BJP and Congress had united against his government and were using Raj Bhawan in their endeavour to dismiss the SP government ahead of UP assembly polls.

The leaders of both the parties approached the Governor every now and then levelling false allegations against his government.

''Let them dismiss my government and the people would give them a befitting reply,'' he fumed.

The CM vehemently opposed charges of giving farmers a raw deal while alloting land to Anil Ambani's Reliance energy for a power plant. ''In fact the farmers were paid compensation thrice the prevailing market rates and that too after obtaining their consent,'' he claimed.

He said the power plant at Dadri in Ghaziabad district would be a boon for UP as the state would become self-sufficient in power in two-and-a-half year time when it will be commissioned.

Indicating that the Congress has been responsible for creating a wedge between Ambani brothers -- Anil and Mukesh -- Mr Yadav said, ''We are often charged of causing a rift between the two brothers but who is responsible for this is known to everyone.'' He cornered the Congress at the Centre for not allowing the issue of gas supply to Dadri plant to be settled. It may be recalled that the issue of gas supply was to be settled between Anil Ambani-owned Relaince energy and Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries.

UP PWD and Power Minister Shiv Pal Yadav also discounted the opposition charges of cheating the farmers of Dadri, saying the amount of compensation -- Rs 150 per metre -- was decided by a committee of farmers.

Countering the allegations, the Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari said he was speaking about Congress-BJP unity but it was Mr Yadav himself who had joined hands with the BJP in 1977. ''The Congress-BJP nexus is just a fragment of imagination,'' he said.

BJP member and the Leader of the Opposition Lalji Tandon also intervened to refute the charges of the CM and said his statements lacked truth. ''The claim of CM that the Dadri power plant would be commissioned in two-and-a-half years is totally wrong because the order for the BHEL turbine had not been bee placed so far and it would take atleast three years for its installation,'' he pointed out while criticising undue delay in execution of the project.

A delegation of South Africa government led by Minister Yusuf Ghulam Pahad was present in the House as special guests.

UNI