Mulayam resigns; puts partial blame of defeat on EC

Lucknow, May 11 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, while accepting the people's mandate against his party in the assembly elections, today charged the Election Commission with ''itself becoming a party in the polls''.

Termig the results a mandate of voters, Mr Yadav -- after putting in his papers -- told reporters that his resignation had been accepted by the Governor.

He also charged the EC with itself becoming a party in the elections. ''Yeh ek ashubh lakshan hai (this is an ominous sign)''.

''Like other political parties, the EC, too, became a party in the elections. While the EC encouraged some voters to turn out, it discouraged the SP voter from casting ballots...the EC jumped its mandate. It was not supposed to do so,'' he alleged.

He also alleged lapses in security at centres where EVMs were kept after elections.

To a poser on the BJP's poor performance, he said while the BJP too had apreciated the EC for its smooth conduct of polls, it too would have realised the actual role the Commision has played.

''Congress has been wiped out...now the SP's real fight is with the BSP. I would reach out to the people and strengthen my party,'' he added.

The CM claimed that he was not worried by the assertions by Ms Mayawati that she would jail him if she returned to power.

Even before all the results were out, Mr Yadav accepted defeat and tendered his resignation this aftenoon.

Mr Yadav was in office since August 29,2003.

The Governor asked Mr Yadav to continue till the new government was sworn in.

UNI