A spokesman of Raj Bhawan stated that Governor Mahabir Prasad has directed the Chief Minister to seek a vote of confidence "on or before July 21" on the floor of Haryana Vidhan Sabha. This was conveyed by the Governor to the CM during the course of a meeting held this afternoon. The meeting lasted about 40 minutes, it is learnt.

The HVP has 35 members in the Assembly which has an effective strength of 89 members (one Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Legislative Assembly does not have the right to vote), the BJP 10, Indian National Lok Dal 22 and Congress 12. There are 10 Independents, eight of whom had supported the Bansi Lal Ministry in the previous trial of strength.

The Governor's decision follows the withdrawal of support by the Congress to the ruling HaryanaVikas Party (HVP).

While the Congress had demanded dissolution of the House, the BJP today demanded dismissal of the Bansi Lal Government.

The Haryana Congress Legislature Party, whose support is crucial to decide the fate of the Bansi Lal Government, will meet in New Delhi tomorrow morning to decide their stand on the confidence vote.

Meanwhile, Haryana Pradesh Congress General Secretary Ram Parkash stated that the party would take steps to ensure that the House is dissolved, since no party is in a position to form a stable government.

This is the second time Bansi Lal has been asked to seek a vote of confidence. On the first occasion, the BJP, which was a coalition partner, had withdrawn its support to the HVP. Ironically, it was the Congress which had bailed out the HVP then. On July 16, the Congress had submitted a letter to the Governor announcing the withdrawal of its support to the HVP alleging that the party leader Bansi Lal did not keep his promise of dissolving the Assembly.

All eyes areagain on the Congress which is holding a meeting of its Legislature Party in New Delhi tomorrow. The role of the Congress could again be crucial, as it is faced with the threat of an INLD-BJP alliance in case Bansi Lal fails to seek a vote of confidence.

In case the Congress decides to abstain from voting, Bansi Lal government would win the vote. However, in case it votes against the motion, it could mark the end of the road for the government.

The directive to Bansi Lal to seek the trust vote afresh followed the intensive consultations Mahabir Prasad had with constitutional experts after the Congress had met the Governor on Friday stating that the Haryana Vikas Party Ministry had been reduced to a minority.

In New Delhi, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala had a meeting with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and apprised him of the situation in Haryana.

Chautala said his party was ready to face fresh Assembly elections and would keep "all options open for a poll pact with any party other than theCongress".