The Chief Minister of the BJP-ruled Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Kalyan Singh, has warned his party leadership against any attempt to remove him from office.

Mr Singh said such a move would lead to mid-term polls in the state because no alternative government was possible without him.

He accused upper caste legislators of trying to remove him.

A BBC correspondent in Uttar Pradesh says there have been efforts by the BJP party leadership to remove Mr Singh after the BJP's defeat in recent elections in neighbouring states.