Lucknow: Chief Minister Mayawati's decision to scrap the controversial government order providing reservation for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and other backward classes (OBCs) in sports colleges and hostels in the state is being viewed as reflective of increasing assertiveness of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s ruling coalition partners Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal.

It was the fifth occasion when the Chief Minister had to roll back her decision, seemingly under pressure from BJP and other alliance partners.

The BJP had taken strong exception to the provision of abolishing the power of the village panchayats to allot its land and empowering the sub-divisional magistrates to allot the village panchayat land on lease.

The government was forced to withdraw the amendments proposed in the Zamindari Abolition Act in this regard.

Similarly, the Chief Minister, after initial refusal, finally bowed to BJP pressure on the issue of providing free textbooks to students belonging to all categories till V standard.

The Chief Minister had earlier confined this facility to the students of SC, ST and OBC.

Mayawati was once again compelled to reverse her decision to order en masse transfer of policemen in Bulandshahar district after a police sub-inspector allegedly assaulted the driver of her father last month.

PTI