Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Nov 21: History was created in UP's assembly on Monday November 21, when, within a span of 16 minutes it passed the proposal for the division of the state into four parts and also gave the green signal to a vote-on-account budget of Rs 54762 crore. The assembly was later adjourned sine die signalling the end of winter session which goes in history books as the shortest session ever convened .
Several speculations were in the air since Chief Minister (CM) Mayawati convened a two-day winter session. The agenda on the Business Advisory Committee meeting stated only vote-on-account budget for the first four months of the present fiscal and handicapped university bill. There was no mention of proposal for division of the state.
Opposition parties smelled foul and approached Raj Bhavan urging governor B L Joshi to allow no-confidence motion. Some political analysts opined that CM Mayawati may go for dissolving the house and function as caretaker CM till next elections.
However, CM Mayawati gave rest to all the speculations. CM Mayawati entered the house in the morning with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) members trooping in the well demanding debate on no-confidence motion. Amidst the uproar, the vote on account was presented followed by proposal to divide UP into four states and handicapped university bill. All were passed with sound vote while the opposition kept on shouting and showing placards. Within 16 minutes everything was over, even before anyone could have seated themselves in their seats. Finally speaker Sukhdeo Rajbhar declared the assembly adjourned sine die.
What followed after that was routine affair, with CM Mayawati claiming in a press conference that when the proposal and vote on account had been passed it reflects that she has majority and opposition were just creating ruckus. Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Shivpal Yadav rushed to Raj Bhavan urging governor B L Joshi to reconvene the house and expunge the proceedings. BJP Om Prakash Singh claimed that the it was illegal and unconstitutional and submitted a memorandum to the governor urging not to approve the proccedings. Congress leader Pramod Tiwari too demanded that the proposal be sent to State Re-organising Committee.
However, Mayawati claimed that the ball was in now in UPA government's court and they have to take a final call on the division of state issue.