Date:10/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/10/stories/2007081056401400.htm

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BSP will vote for UPA nominee: Mayawati

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: The Bahujan Samaj Party will support the United Progressive Alliance candidate Hamid Ansari in the Vice-President election to be held on Friday.

This was announced by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP president, Mayawati, at a press conference here on Thursday.

Ms. Mayawati said she had not spelt out her party’s stand when the name of the UPA candidate was announced in July. The BSP Members of Parliament will vote for the UPA candidate.

Currently, both the Mayawati Government and the Congress-led UPA Government were enjoying “close ties.” The Chief Minister has sought a Rs.80,000-crore development package from the Centre.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was supposed to visit Lucknow on Wednesday but the visit was postponed. He is likely to visit the State capital later this month.

In the Presidential election, Ms. Maywati had supported the UPA-Left candidate, Pratibha Patil, who won.