Aligarh: Asserting that the Mayawati government has been reduced to a minority, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Jagadambika Pal on June 5 urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to exercise his Constitutional authority to save the state from plunging into political anarchy.

"It is now crystal clear that the Mayawati government has been reduced to a minority and is surviving on the mercy of the Prime Minister, the Governor and the Speaker of the state Assembly," Pal said.

Pal alleged the entire official machinery was being used to coerce independent legislators to issue statements in favour of the Mayawati government.

Lashing out at Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Congress leader said, "For years Vajpayee has been sermonising on the virtues of democracy. Is this the sort of democracy which he stands for?"

In reply to a question, he said Congress was co-ordinating with other Opposition parties for providing an alternative government in the event of the fall of the Mayawati government.

Referring to Madhumita Shukla murder case, Pal said, "The people of the country are not blind. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will have to pay a heavy price once facts are brought to light after the fall of the present government."

PTI