Rajnath thanks Awasthi for vacating Hydergarh

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW, FEB. 21. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh, has expressed his gratitude to the Congress MLA, Mr. Surendranath Awasthi, who resigned from the State Assembly on Tuesday requesting him to contest from Hydergarh.

Talking to presspersons here today, Mr. Singh welcomed the offer of Mr. Awasthi but said the decision on where he would contest would be decided by the State BJP chief, Mr. Kalraj Mishra. At present, the Sadabad seat, in Hathras district, and the Hydergarh seat, in Barabanki, are lying vacant.

Mr. Singh said he had nothing to do with the entry of Mr. Awasthi into the BJP; the latter had expressed his desire to join the party. He though said that he had great regard for Mr. Awasthi.

The Chief Minister rejected the view that he was likely to contest from Hydergarh because it was a Brahmin- dominated constituency. Meanwhile, the Congress has criticised Mr. Singh for his attempts to ``purchase MLAs'' from other parties. State party leaders alleged that Mr. Awasthi's resignation followed tough bargaining between him and the Chief Minister.

PTI reports:

BJP MLA offers to quitMeanwhile, a BJP legislator from Ghazipur district offered to vacate his seat to facilitate Mr. Singh's election.

Mr. Sinhasan Singh, who represents Dildar Nagar constituency in the Assembly, has informed the Vidhan Sabha Speaker in this regard, party sources said.

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