Support to Gehlot gets Maya nod

BSP president Mayawati has resolved the crisis in her partys Rajasthan unit by allowing her six MLAs...

BSP president Mayawati has resolved the crisis in her partys Rajasthan unit by allowing her six MLAs to continue their support to the Congress Government,headed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The reasoning given for supporting Gehlot,even while opposing the Congress everywhere else,is that the Rajasthan Chief Minister belongs to a backward caste.

The BSP MLAs had voted for the Gehlot Government during the trust vote in the Assembly,held on Monday,and demanded removal of Rajasthan in-charge Dharam Singh,alleging he was an autocrat.

Story continues below this ad

Sources in the BSP said Mayawati,who reached Delhi on Monday evening,contacted the Rajasthan MLAs and heard them patiently.

Singh as well as BSP legislature party leader Rajendra Gudda confirmed the partys decision to continue support to the Gehlot Government.

They have supported neither the Congress nor the Bharatiya Janata Party. They have supported a Chief Minister who is from a backward caste, said Dharam,explaining the party decision.

Gudda,too,said,We have supported Gehlot as he is a backward caste leader. We will continue our support to him as long as he works for the betterment of backward castes in the state.

Story continues below this ad

Gudda said Mayawati had spoken to him on Tuesday. Asked if Mayawati did not question their decision to support the Gehlot Government,he replied,Our line is whatever behenji decides.

Regarding their demand for the removal of Singh as in-charge of Rajasthan,Gudda sounded mellowed. This is a decision for the party to take. I will continue to work for the expansion of the partys base in my state. I will remain in direct touch with behenji to ensure my partys growth in Rajasthan, he said.

Singh,too,dropped enough hints that he would continue. We have to prepare the ground for the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, he said.