New Delhi, Sept 18: The opposition today intensified its attack on the Mayawati government over Babri Masjid trial issue, saying it would use all possible political and legal means to expose the BSP-BJP "deal" in the matter and sought the president`s intervention to safeguard the rule of law even as the VHP welcomed the move as a "legally considered" one.

"It is a serious matter. The Supreme Court had given eight weeks time by September 23 to UP government to file its reply about issuance of a fresh notification. We shall take all possible political and legal means to expose the BJP", Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said. Alleging a "trade off" between BSP and BJP, he said "it is believed there was a tacit understanding at the time of formation of coalition government in up that Mayawati would not issue fresh notification though she had demanded it when she was in opposition".

The CPI-M polit bureau urged the president to intervene in the matter to "safeguard the rule of law and not allow it to be subverted." "Mayawati has taken this decision under pressure and connivance of the BJP leaders, to save the BSP-BJP coalition government in Uttar Pradesh. It reveals to what length the BJP leadership can go to circumvent the law," it said.

The CPI central secretariat, in its statement, warned the Mayawati government`s decision not to issue a fresh notification on the Ayodhya case would have serious implications on the country`s secular and democratic polity. Bureau Report