With exit polls predicting a hung assembly in Uttar Pradesh, giving a lead to the Samajwadi Party and suggesting that the Bahujan Samaj Party could be voted out of power, the Mayawati cabinet passed a resolution recommending the dissolution of the 403-member assembly in Lucknow late on Sunday.
The decision was taken after the chief minister's office got signatures of all cabinet ministers appended to such a resolution.
The move took many by surprise because the resolution to dissolve the assembly is passed after declaration of election results. Once such a resolution is passed and signed by the chief minister,