Mulayam must resign, LJP to abide by UPA decision: Paswan

New Delhi, Feb 18 (UNI) Lok Janshakti Party President and Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan today demanded that the Mulayam Singh government should resign on moral grounds in view of the Supreme Court verdict disqualifying 13 BSP MLAs, and said that he would abide any decision taken by the UPA regarding imposition of President's Rule in the state.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Paswan said here that there was no need for any floor tests by Mr Yadav as it would only lead to ''horse trading.'' ''The verdict of the Supreme Court Bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India, has proved that the Mulayam Singh's government was unconstitutional as it was a minority government, following disqualification of breakaway group of 13 BSP MLAs. Later, 24 more BSP MLAs also defected in a wrong manner,'' he said. The Samajwadi Party government has no constitutional authority to stay in power, Mr Paswan added.

Asserting that the LJP never opposed the imposition of President's rule in the state, he said that whether the Centre dismisses the Mulayam Singh government or not, it should resign on its own on moral grounds. ''Once the Mulayam Singh government resigns, the President's rule would be automatically imposed in the state,'' he noted.

Disclosing that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had consulted him on the Uttar Pradesh issue, Mr Paswan said that he would place his views in the UPA meeting which would take a consensus decision. ''I will abide by whatever the UPA decides,'' he said.

However, he clarified that the current issue was different from that of the Bommai case.

Asked about the Samajwadi Party's charges against UP Governor T Rajeswar, who has given an adverse report against the Mulayam Singh government, Mr Paswan said that the Governor is the President's or centre's nominee so there was always a debate on his role.

Similarly, the Speaker is a nominee of a particular party. ''So most of the time, the aggrieved party attacks the governor and puts blame on him,'' he noted.

Mr Paswan said that the LJP would hold a big rally in Lucknow on February 24 to show his party's power in Uttar Pradesh where assembly elections are going to be held soon. He said that former Prime Minister V P Singh and many other prominent leaders would attend the LJP rally.

UNI