The rebels who had split the Congress legislature party in Uttar Pradesh and formed an independent group last week are in a tight spot.

"There was no proposal to induct the Congress rebels in the government," Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati said in Lucknow on Sunday.

Earlier last week, when she had asked 12 BSP ministers to resign, there was speculation that she was making room for the Congress rebels.

"She is now blackmailing us to formally join her party instead of staying as an independent group," said Akhilesh Kumar Singh, the Congress MLA from Rae Bareli who is also the leader of the rebels.

However, his companion Shyam Narain Tiwari differed.

"I see nothing wrong in formally joining the BSP -- minister of no minister," Tiwari said.

Tiwari's stand is understandable because he is closely related to Amar Mani Tripathi, a minister.

Tripathi had joined the BSP after being expelled from the Rajnath Singh government and the Loktantrik Congress Party for being allegedly involved in an abduction case. Earlier, in 1997, he had defected from the Congress.

The other six rebels are not sure which way to go. Some of them are sending feelers to the Congress in order to get back in.