Cong not to support Mulayam govt during confidence vote

Lucknow, Jan 12: The Congress today announced that it would not support the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh when it seeks a vote of confidence vote in the next assembly session convened from January 18.

Although the Congress is yet to rescind its decision of outside support to the Samajwadi Party government, Uttar Pradesh party president Salman Khurshid said the party will oppose the state government, both inside and outside the assembly.

However, he said his party was yet to decide on its stand on the Governor's joint address of the state legislature. ''We will take any decision on the issue at the right moment.'' Criticising the state government, the Congress leader said such a confidence vote had no constitutional validity as it should be sought only if asked by the Governor.

''The state dispensation is making a mockery of the Constitution as convening the assembly just before the polls and seeking a confidence vote proves their lack of confidence before the masses,'' he said.

Declining comment on the constitutional validity of convening a fresh assembly just before the polls, Mr Khurshid said it was for the constitutional experts to discuss the matter.

''People want this regime to go, but the Mulayam Singh Yadav government is making all efforts to breathe on the deathbed,'' he said.

Asked if the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) was likely to forge an alliance with the Congress in the assembly polls, the Congress leader refused comment.

UNI