On the eve of the crucial session of the state assembly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday got a shot in the arm with seven independent legislators pledging their support to her government and seeking recognition as a separate group.

The seven independents met Assembly Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi and asked him to recognise them as a separate group and be allowed to sit with the treasury benches.

The seven independents are Hoshiar Singh, Jitendra Jaiswal, Mahesh Trivedi, Devendra Nagpal, Mithilesh Kumar, Amar Singh Yadav and Vijay Singh.

Jithendra Jaiswal had earlier withdrawn support to the Mayawati government. He had also met Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri in October last.

The seven MLAs were escorted by senior minister Amarmani Tripathi, who said, "There is no voice of dissent against the chief minister now. All independent legislators now support the Mayawati government."