Pressure from workers led to withdrawal of support: Gehlot

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) The Congress today assailed the BJP for describing its withdrawal of support to the Uttar Pradesh Government as a cheap political stunt and charged the saffron party with being in league with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh.

"Let the BJP bring a no-confidence motion against the state government if they are sincere about it, regardless of whether the Congress supports them or not," AICC General Secretary Incharge of Uttar Pradesh Ashok Gehlot said reacting to the BJP's charge against the Congress.

In a chat with media persons, Mr Gehlot also said the BJP was in collusion with Mr Mulayam Singh which was proved by the BJP men who went to the jail being honoured as freedom fighters by the Chief Minister. Mr Mulayam Singh was also in the habit of consulting the RSS off and on, he added.

Mr Gehlot clarified that it was because of the pressure from the Congress workers to withdraw support to the Mulayam Government that the party withdrew its support out of compulsion. The Congress step was prompted by the considerations of complete failure of the law and order situation in the state, rampant corruption and every section of people being miserable in the state.

The Congress withdrew support knowing full well that it would not make any difference to the stability of the Mulayam Government with the party's meagre strength of 15 MLAs, he added.

Mr Gehlot, in reply to a question about whether the state was heading towards President's Rule, said, "let us see how the situation develops." UNI YS RP DB2006