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Mulayam wins trust vote after Opposition boycott |
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With the entire opposition boycotting the proceedings, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav won the long-awaited vote of confidence in the State Assembly on Thursday, Jan. 25. The boycott was triggered by Transport Minister Naresh Aggarwal’s rejection of the Opposition demand for his resignation for his comments in the House the previous day. During the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor for his Address, Aggarwal had said that had he been the Chief Minister he would have used unfair means in the civic polls.
With MLAs of the BJP, the BSP, the Congress, the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, abstaining during the Chief Minister’s reply to the debate and subsequent voting, the verdict was a foregone conclusion. The Speaker later said that the Government had the support of 223 MLAs, 28 more than the required simple majority. The voting also showed that eight BJP, three BSP and three RLD members voted in favour of the Government.
After the trust vote, the House was adjourned till February 12. Observers say that Mulayam Singh Yadav has succeeded in proving another point that his government might continue to enjoy a comfortable majority even if the Supreme Court disqualifies the 33 BSP defectors in the days to come. The apex court has reserved its judgement in the matter.
Mulayam Singh Yadav later said that he might move and win more trust votes in the future, if the need arises.
Opposition parties on their part have demanded dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government and imposition of President’s Rule in the state. In separate memoranda to Governor T.V. Rajeswhar after the trust vote, the Congress, the BSP and the RLD alleged that the confidence verdict showed that the Government had resorted to horse-trading. They demanded the dismissal of the Government to ensure free and fair Assembly elections in the state.
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