State Governor Mahabir Prasad asked Chief Minister and HVP leader Bansi Lal to prove his majority in the House on or before June 25 after BJP legislators, including seven ministers, met him and submitted a letter withdrawing support to the three-year-old coalition Government.

The Governor gave the directive after Bansi Lal had a 35-minute meeting with him at Raj Bhawan here.

The withdrawal of support came amid reports of the BJP's disillusionment with the Bansi Lal-led Government and a new equation with the Opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), led by Om Prakash Chautala, whose four Lok Sabha members supported the Vajpayee Government at the Centre during the recent vote of confidence.

The relationship betweenthe BJP and Bansi Lal's HVP soured further following reports that Bansi Lal, who was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 11, 1996, heading the BJP-HVP coalition Government, was seeking to mend fences with the Congress and even contemplating returning to the party.

While the Congress hinted at bailing out the Bansi Lal Government, the BJP said it would try to explore the possibility of a non-Congress Government in the State.

BJP vice-president K L Sharma said there was a possibility of realignment of forces following dissension in the HVP, hinting that the 22-member INLD, the 11-member BJP and HVP dissidents, besides a number of Independents could form an alternative ministry.

"The Congress party will try to prevent formation of a government by the BJP-Chautala combine", All India Congress Committee general secretary Pranab Mukherjee said.

Dismissed State Agriculture minister Jagan Nath also hinted at a split in the HVP. "Discussions with other dissidents and legislators, including Independents are onfor forming an alternative government," he said.

Besides Nath, the dissidents include three other dismissed ministers -- Brij Mohan Singla, Narbir Singh and Krishna Gahlawat.