Mulayam should step down: Mayawati

Lucknow, Feb 15 (UNI) BSP supremo Mayawati today demanded that Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav immediately step down from his post following the Supreme Court's ruling that ''disqualified all 37 defected MLAs''.

''If Mr Yadav does not step down, the governor should dismiss the state government to honour the Supreme Court directive, which has termed the constitution of his government in August 2003 illegal,'' she said.

Addressing a news conference here, Ms Mayawati said there was no question of the Samajwadi Party-led government seeking a trust vote on the floor of the House.

''When the court has termed the government illegal, then how can it take a fresh trust vote,'' she questioned.

Earlier, Ms Mayawati also submitted a memorandum to Governor T V Rajeswar, demanding dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

The former chief minister said para 53 of the Supreme Court verdict clearly staed that all the 37 Loktantrik Bahujan Dal (LBD) MLAs had been disqualified, while para 45 clarified it had not sent the matter again to the Assembly speaker.

Asked if BSP will move the apex court if there was any delay in implementation of the court order, she said, '' I hope the government will enforce the judgement fully...if it delays, there is Raj Bhawan to take action''.

Ms Mayawati also welcomed the apex court's decision and thanked party general-secretary and noted counsel Satish Chandra Mishra for contesting the case alone from the lower court to the Supreme Court.

UNI