LUCKNOW, March 10: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh today expanded his jumbo-sized ministry by inducting five rebel Bahujan Samaj Party legislators, who voted in his favour during the composite floor test last month, raising its strength from 90 to 95. Those inducted into the ministry were Jai Narain Tewari, Cabinet rank, and Munna Lal Maurya, Ved Prakash, Rajendra Patel and Shiv Ganesh Lodhi, all Ministers of State.However, soon after the exercise two members of Jantantrik Bahujan Samaj Party (JBSP) reportedly tendered their resignations while three threatened to quit in protest against the cabinet rank given to their junior colleague.
JBSP sources said Shivendra Singh and Yashpal Singh had sent-in their resignations to the chief minister while three others -- Sukhpal Pandey, Prem Prakash and Ram Sasrey Kushwaha -- had threatened to resign.
Chief Minister Kalyan Singh denied he had received any resignation letter and said he was not aware of any such development.
When contacted, senior JBSPleader Choudhary Narendra Singh admitted there was ``resentment'' in the party over the induction of Jai Narain Tewari, who voted for Kalyan Singh during the composite floor test, as cabinet minister today.
He, however, did not confirm the resignations saying all such ``misunderstandings'' would be cleared.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
