Advantage Congress in Uttarakhand as Mayawati supports Rawat

New Delhi, May 10: BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday announced her party's support for the Congress in the Uttarakhand assembly where ousted Chief Minister Harish Rawat is facing a floor test to prove his legislative strength.

"We have always opposed communal forces. Our two MLAs have reached the assembly. They will vote for the Congress,", Mayawati told reporters outside parliament here.

The Uttarakhand floor test is being conducted under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The hill state has been under President's Rule since March 27 when the Congress government was dismissed by the central government citing misgovernance.

President's Rule was lifted for two hours, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

The 70-member Uttarakhand assembly has been reduced to only 62 -- including one nominated member -- after the Supreme Court upheld the disqualification of nine Congress rebel legislators.

The halfway mark to the majority is 31. The Congress has 27 members and the BJP 28. There are six from the PDF. Their vote would be crucial for Rawat to win the test.

IANS