Cong asks Mulayam to step down

New Delhi, Feb 17 (UNI) The Congress today asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to step down immediately, saying he had lost the moral legal and constitutional right to govern the state after the Supreme Court verdict disqualifying 13 BSP legislators whose support helped the formation of the Samajwadi Party-led regime in 2003.

"Mr Mulayam Singh should not continue in office even for one second,"party Spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons, while describing the Uttar Pradesh government as an "illegal" entity.

He said "All norms and spirit of democracy require Mr Mulayam Singh leave office forthwith if he has any regard for norms." Asked if the Congress would ask the Centre to dismiss the UP government, Dr Singhvi said the state unit of the party had been demanding this for long. The apex court judgement had now made it clear that the demand was correct.

He parried questions on whether the Congress had succeeded in convincing its allies and the supporting Left parties about the need for dismissal of the Mulayam government.

He, however, said the Congress was heading a coalition UPA government and that the party would necessarily go by consensus.

"Since the Supreme Court order is clear, we hope that the required consensus would be there." To repeated questions on the subject, Dr Singhvi said "ultimately, it is not for the Congress to appoint or dismiss a government. It is for the Centre to decide on such matters." UNI