Mulayam’s ministers put in papers

Seven ministers belonging to the Rashtriya Lok Dal had already submitted their resignation letters to their party president, Ajit Singh, yesterday.

‘‘We resigned voluntarily and even before Mulayam Singhji could ask us to do so. We have told him that it was his prerogative to decide who gets a ministerial berth again and who does not. It was mandatory for us to resign to meet the provisions of the constitutional amendment on downsizing the ministry. Ours has become the first state where all the ministers have resigned collectively without complaints from any quarter,’’ said Naresh Agarwal, Minister for Tourism.

‘‘Now the CM is free to take his own decision. He has all the options open,’’ said Ahmed Hasan, another SP minister.

Interestingly, soon after submitting their resignation letters to the CM, a majority of the ministers drove back to the Secretariat building in their official cars to ‘‘finish pending work’’.

Estate Officer Prabhat Mittal, who is in charge of providing facilities to ministers, said, ‘‘I have not been intimated on withdrawing their official cars. Even if they resign, we give them sufficient time before we claim government vehicles and flats.’’