JAIPUR: Amidst rumours of BSP MLAs in Rajasthan extending their support to the BJP, party's matriarch Mayawati on Wednesday gave strict instructions to all six MLAs to not "sell their faith". She asked the MLAs to not play into the hands of the "divisive" and "communal forces" of the Opposition. She also issued a warning that if her MLAs didn't adhere to the party lines, they would be dismissed from the party.
Mayawati's statement comes as a relief to the Congress party, which has been facing several challenges after facing a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.
There was speculation about the withdrawal of support from the government after five BSP legislators program to meet the Governor on Monday. Mayawati immediately took cognizance and made it clear that her party's legislators should not be misled by any communal and racist party. BSP has been supporting the government from outside, which will continue.
National Vice President of the party Ramji Gautam said that Mayawati has instructed BSP MLAs not to sell their faith. "If any legislator did this and found to be involved in an anti-party activity then strict action will be taken against him, he can be thrown out of the party."
The Congress has 100 members in the 200-member Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. There are 73 MLAs of the BJP, six from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), three from the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP), two from the CPI (M), two from the Indian Tribal Party, one from the Rashtriya Lok Dal and 13 independents. The six BSP MLAs have given their support to the government. The BSP MLAs we're scheduled to meet the Governor Kalyan Singh but the meeting was cancelled later.