Two MLAs join ruling BSP

Lucknow, June 3 (UNI) The Mayawati-led ruling party in Uttar Pradesh today increased its tally further after two legislators -- one from the Lok Tantrik Congress and another from United Democratic Front (UDF) -- joined the BSP, followed by the merger of their parties into the latter.

An announcement to this effect was made by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar at a hurriedly called press meet here tonight.

Mr Shyam Sunder Sharma, MLA from Math, Mathura and Mr Hazi Yaqub, MLA from Cant, Meerut -- both lone legislators from the Lok Tantrik Congress and UDF respectively -- joined the ruling BSP.

Both the legislators told newspersons, ''The policies and principles of the BSP inspired them to join the ruling party.'' The speaker said both the members appeared before him and showed desire to join the BSP. ''Being lone members of the Lok Tantrik Congress and UDF, the mergers of both the parties into BSP had been formalised,'' he added.

With this, the BSP's tally in the 403-member UP Assembly has risen to 209.

Earlier, Ram sevak of Uma Bharti-led Bharatiya Jan Shakti (BJS) had joined the BSP and being a lone member of the BJS, his party was also merged into it.

Senior BSP leader and UP Minister Nasimuddin Siddique was also present at the press conference When Mr Siddique was asked why the members from other parties were allowed to join the BSP despite the ruling party already having majority, he quipped ''If somebody expresses faith in the ideology of the BSP, he is welcome to join the ruling party.'' UNI