Now Maya flaunts ‘her’ SP MLAs

A bristling Ajit says: ‘‘Why should the government’s majority be decided at Raj Bhavan (Governor’s official residence) and not on the floor of the House? This government has only a majority of 196 MLAs — BSP’s 110 and BJP’s 86. The onus is on Mayawati to prove her majority after we pulled out. Already there are signs of desperation from the BSP-BJP camp with Mayawati claiming that SP MLAs want to move to her side; Arun Katiyar threatening early elections if the government falls and the BJP leadership publicly hinting at Cabinet expansion to keep their flock.’’

On her part, the Chief Minister rejected the Opposition stand that her government had lost majority. In fact, she claimed that two dozen SP MLAs support her. ‘‘Nearly two dozen SP MLAs are in touch with me. I do not want to take their names. But they told me they are unhappy and assured me unstinted support whenever I need them,’’ she told reporters at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

She also alleged that Mulayam was desperate to keep his party from splitting which is why he was issuing statements about bringing her government down. ‘‘It is to stop his party from breaking up and to prevent his MLAs from switching allegiance that he has made such statements,’’ she said.

Mayawati certainly has the Governor on her side who declared yesterday there was no evidence to suggest Mayawati had lost her majority as the untied Opposition had claimed.

Meanwhile, Mulayam brushed aside Mayawati’s claim saying it was too preposterous to even comment on it. ‘‘I have nothing to say. In fact, I have never commented on any of her claims,’’ he said. The SP chief said as far as his MLAs were concerned, there was no need to give any clarification. ‘‘Ever since my party MLAs were elected to the state Assembly, there has not been a single occasion when I have had to issue any clarification about anyone’s loyalty,’’ he said.