RLD to boycott assembly proceedings tomorrow

Lucknow, Feb 25 (UNI) Terming the decision of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to seek a trust vote tomorrow a sham, Ajit Singh Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) today announced its decision to boycott the assembly proceedings.

''Once assembly elections are announced, there practically lies no need to seek a trust vote...It is a political stunt at best,'' said RLD general secretary Munna Singh Chauhan here today.

He claimed that the February 14 decision of the Supreme Court disqualifying 13 MLAs of BSP's splinter group proves that the government is illegal. ''Even after the decision if the Samajwadi Party wants to seek trust vote, then we cannot be a part of the stunt,'' he added.

The party has 15 MLAs in the state assembly and had recently withdrawn support from the Mulayam government.

In the Legislative Council, RLD MLCs would protest the finance bill the government proposes to bring in tomorrow.

This will be for the first time that a majority government will seek a confidence vote on simultaneous sittings of the House. The SP government had gone for the trust vote on January 25, the last sitting day of the present session while it will do again tomorrow. Though there is no demand for the confidence vote, the government is set to do it to prove its majority after the SC verdict disqualifying 13 MLAs of the BSP's splinter group.

Yesterday, BSP supremo Mayawati had announced resignation of all party legislators along with 11 MLAs of other parties, including five of BJP, four of SP and two Independents.

Ms Mayawati said the state government was ''unconstitutional'' and it is was moral in for the government to continue.

UNI