BSP to give unconditional support to Congress

The Bahujan Samaj Party, (BSP) with its three MLAs, announced on Sunday its unconditional support to the Congress in Uttarakhand.

“Our party chief Mayawati has directed all the three BSP MLAs to give unconditional support to the Congress,” said state BSP chief Surajmal. The party would like to share power with Congress in the state, he added.

The Congress has, thus sensed, further stability to the government it is trying to make in the hill state, where three independents and one MLA from the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal have already extended support to the party which has won 32 seats in the 70-member House. “Earlier, the scene was different as the three independents and the lone UKD MLA were putting up a lot of conditions. Now, a lot of it has eased (with the BSP support),” said a senior Congress functionary.

The BJP won in 31 constituencies. Now, having mustered a more-than-required support, the Congress is set to form the next government by electing a new leader. “In the next few hours or by tomorrow, we may see a new Congress Legislative Party leader,” said a party spokesman. The Congress had already staked claim to form a government in the state.

The three independents — Harish Durgapal, Mantri Prasad Naithani and Dinesh Dhanai — and the UKD MLA from Yamunotri Pritam Singh Panwar had put up conditions. UKD, for instance, wanted Gairsain to be the new capital of the state. “We want the new government to accept our issues,” said Panwar.

Naithani, a rebel Congress MLA, said he wanted senior Congress leader Satpal Maharaj to be the next chief minister. Other independents, too, have put conditions.