Mayawati meets Kalam, wants Prez rule in UP

New Delhi, Dec 8: BSP chief Mayawati today urged President A P J Abdul Kalam to dismiss the Mulayam Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh and impose President's rule, alleging a total breakdown of the law and order machinery in the State.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister,leading a delegation of party MPs, put forward her demand at a meeting with the President here.

Citing large scale violence and alleged rigging in the recent urban bodies poll, Ms Mayatwati said, ''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 Maywati said she was not the only one worried over the situation in the state, or to demand President's rulke, as similar concerns and demands have been expressed by a large section of the society too.

UNI