 On 21 February 1998, his government was dismissed and Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Romesh Bhandari invited Jagdambika Pal to form the new government when the same Naresh Agrawal withdrew support to Kalyan Singh's government and became deputy chief minister in Jagdambika's short-lived government.The order was stayed by a division bench of the Allahabad High Court which directed the "status quo ante bellum" to be maintained thus reinstating his government.After this decision, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had gone on fast unto death in protest against the governor's order called off his fast and said that the court's verdict was a "well-deserved slap in the face of the governor".