NEW DELHI, 6 September 2003 — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will vote against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav when he seeks a vote of confidence in the state assembly Monday.
This was decided at a meeting of party leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, who met at the residence of BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu here.
The BJP will issue a whip to its 87 legislators to attend the assembly Monday and vote against the motion, party General S. Pramod Mahajan told reporters after the two-hour meeting.
A party leader from the state said the BJP had decided to play the role of a “responsible and constructive opposition” and added it would not seek to form an alternative government in the event the Yadav government fell.
Besides Advani, federal Agricultural Minister Rajnath Singh, state BJP president Vinay Katiyar and Uttar Pradesh legislature party leader Lalji Tandon attended the meeting. Yadav must get at least 202 votes in the 403-seat assembly to remain in power.
