BSP demands President's rule in UP, SP recall of Governor

New Delhi, Dec 8 (UNI) Political activities concerning Uttar Pradesh today intensified in the capital with the ruling Samajwadi Party petitioning President APJ Abdul Kalam to recall the Governor for acting as an ''agent of the Opposition'', while the Bahujan Samaj Party urged him to impose central rule in the state.

BSP supremo Mayawati, leading a party delegation, and SP leaders including Amar Singh, Jaya Bachchan and Mohan Singh today called on the President and put forward their respective demands.

Chief whip of the SP in the Lok Sabha Mohan Singh told UNI that they had conveyed to the President that Governor T V Rajeshwar Rao was misusing his constitutional position and creating hindrance in the working of an elected government.

The meeting of the SP and BSP leaders followed the UP Governor's visit to the capital and his meeting with Dr Kalam on Monday to apprise him of the existing law and order scenario and the political situation in the state.

The governor had earlier met the Home Minister and briefed him about the developments in the state where assembly polls are due early next year.

The governor's meeting took place amidst the backdrop of the increasing demand from a cross-section of political parties, including the Congress and the BJP, and also in the wake of the large scale violence in Kanpur after the alleged desecration of Dr Ambedkar's statue.

BJP leaders led by deputy leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj had on December 3 called on Dr Kalam demanding President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh. Party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, UP BJP president Keshari Nath Tripathi and former state BJP president Kalraj Mishra were among those who accompanied the delegation.

Citing large scale violence and alleged rigging in the recent urban bodies poll, Ms Mayawati told the President, ''The coming Assembly elections in the state cannot be held in a fair manner under the current political dispensation.'' The Assembly elections in the state should be held before May 13.

In a memo submitted to Dr Kalam, Ms Mayawati said it would be in the greater interest of democracy and the people of the state if the President exercised his constitutional discretion and ''power to save the state.'' The government is literally being run by mafias and goons, who instead of being in jail are roaming freely under government protection, she alleged.

She said the ruling Samajwadi Party headed by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh was desperate following its crushing defeat in the urban local bodies poll and it was now using ''dubious'' means to divert the attention of the people from the loss.

''There are moves on the part of the government to disrupt social and communal harmony in many parts of the state. The Mau riots and desecration of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar's statue in Kanpur could be seen in this context,'' the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

Ms Mayawati said she was not the only one worried over the situation in the state, or to demand President's rule, as similar concerns and demands have been expressed by a large section of the society too.

On the other hand SP leaders told the President that the Governor was hindering in the free and impartial workig of the state election commission and had tried to affect the urban local bodies elections.

Mr Mohan Sinh said their meeting with the President lasted 25 minutes during which they gave him a detailed account of how the governor was misusing the high constitutional office to benefit the Opposition.

UNI NAZ MSJ VA DB2002