Office of profit: SP questions EC authority

Chennai, Mar 29: Samajwadi Party (SP) Leader and Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Uday Pratap Singh Yadav today (Mar 29, 2006) sought to know whether the Election Commission (EC) had any powers to decide on the office of profit issue after the polls.

Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Singh questioned the need for EC interference when there was a separate committee to decide on the issue.

Referring to Ms Jaya Bachchan's removal from Rajya Sabha on the issue, Mr Yadav alleged injustice was meted out in a planned way. Of a total of 44 MPs who connected with the issue, only Ms Bachchan and Mr Amar Singh were named thus exposing the double standards.

He said Ms Bachchan will be shortly relected to the Rajya Sabha by members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.The party was totally opposed to the 'anti-democratic' attitude against the SP.

Mr Yadav said AICC President Sonia Gandhi's resignation from the Lok Sabha and as Chairman of the National Advisory Council was not a sacrifice as she was going to contest from the same place shortly.

Referring to Ms Gandhi's claim that injustice was done to her, Mr Yadav said it was the Congress which had actually done injustice to to others. Her resignation as Lok Sabha member would cause additional expenditure to the national exchequer.

The SP leader criticised the reported move of the opposition parties,especially the BJP, to amend the law to enable members of both the Houses of Parliament to enjoy the benifits of dual posts.

He also hit out at the proposed Rath Yatra of BJP National President and Former Deputy President saying it will affect peace in the country.

The people were totally fet up with the previous NDA and present UPA Governments' performance. The SP wanted to establish a 'third force' and a viable alternative to the Congress and BJP at the national level and was holding talks with like-minded parties in this regard.

Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu and others were expected to support the move for the formation of the 'third force.' Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa had shown similar inclination, he claimed.

UNI