Uttar Pradesh assembly passes resolution to divide state into four parts

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh assembly on Monday passed a resolution seeking to divide the state into four parts. The resolution was passed with a voice vote.

Earlier, the assembly was adjounred for an hour amid uproar created by SP, BJP and Congress MLA over no-confidence motion and resolution on division of UP. Contrary to constitutional norms, Chief minister Mayawati was not present at the start of the session.

As soon as the session started, SP served a notice of no-confidence claiming it has support of all the opposition parties and 70 ruling BSP MLAs. BJP has also served a no-confidence notice. The opposition demanded that no-confidence motion should to be taken up immediately and put for voting. Speaker Sukhdev Rajbhar assured that the opposition will be taken up later as per rules. However, opppsition created ruckus forcing the Speaker to defer the session.

BSP government wanted to first pass vote-of-accounts and then take up the no-confidence motion but opposition did not agree claiming that the government does not enjoy majority of the House and it has no right to conduct the House.

SP said that as per rules, no-confidence motion gets priority over other items in the agenda. The motion is part of SP's game plan to scuttle tabling of state reorganisation resolution.

Mayawati government claimed it enjoys majority which it will prove again in the House.

The two day winter session started on Monday. This is also the last session of the existing assembly. Next elections are due in March-April 2012.

SP leader Azam Khan said that SP will oppose resolution. SP leader Shivpal Yadav claimed his party has support of all opposition parties. However, RLD has supported state reorganisation proposal but said it will move a private bill in this regard. BJP has demanded that decision to split UP should be taken after threadbare deliberation over its viability. Party said that it supports UP's division but it should not be done in a hurry.

On the other hand, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said party will support no-confidence motion brought by a secular party, indicating it will not stand with BJP in the House. Tiwari also said that the resolution to reorganise UP into four states should include demand to constitute state reorganisation commission by the Parliament for division of UP. This, he said, will give resolution a legal validity, otherwise it will be a mere a 'politically motivated' statement of Mayawati.

While UP legislative assembly was adjourned after uproar over no-confidence motion, legislative council was deferred after opppsition raised the issue of BSP rebel MLC Babu Singh Kushwaha who has alleged that ministers and officers are conspiring to kill him. Kushwaha was close to chief minister Mayawati till April this year when he was made to resign after his name figured in NRHM scam and murders of three medicals related to it.