Mulayam government to seek vote on account for next fiscal tomorrow

Lucknow, Dec 14 (UNI) The Mulayam Singh Yadav government with a twin objective of proving its majority on the floor of the house and reiterating its demand for the assembly polls in February 2007, will seek the passage of the vote on account for four months of the next fiscal 2007-08 in the state assembly tomorrow.

The state cabinet has already cleared the proposal for seeking the approval from the assembly for the vote on account for the first four months of the next fiscal.

This would be fifth finance bill to be presented in the assembly by the present government in 2006. The main budget for 2006-07 was passed in March while within the next two months in May, the government brought the first supplementary budget followed by the second one in August and third in October.

Assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey said the vote on account would be taken up in the House tomorrow as per the agenda and it will be passed on the same day.

The size of the vote on account is close to Rs 20,000 crore for financing the committed expenditure like salary, pension and all ongoing development schemes under the plan and non plan sector in current fiscal 2006-07.

By seeking the consideration and passage of the finance bill (vote on account) by the assembly, Chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav wants to give clear message that his government enjoys comfortable majority on the floor of the house.

He was recently alleged that the state governor T V Rajeswar and the UPA government at the Centre were conspiring to topple his government ahead of the crucial assembly polls due in 2007.

Technically, the term of the state assembly ends on May 14, next year, as after the assembly elections in February 2002, the assembly was duly constituted after the Mayawati led BSP-BJP coalition government took office in May and first meeting of the assembly was held on May 13, 2002.

Though the term of assembly ends in May the SP led government is anxious for the assembly polls in February, next year.

The CM had already communicated to the Election Commission favouring polls in February 2007. Though the EC is yet to announce the poll dates, the SP led government is not taking any chance and wants to be ready in all respects for the polls in February.

If the polls are to be held in February 2007, along with three others states Punjab, Manipur and Uttarakhand, then the notification have to be issued latest by January 5, next year after the publication of the revised electoral rolls.

On the other hand the ruling SP apprehends the Congress would do its best to stall the polls beyond May next year, to pave the way for the automatic imposition of the President's rule in UP, after the end of the term of the present assembly on May 14, next yeaer.

During the recent visit of the CEC, N Gopalaswamy to Lucknow all the opposition parties including the congress had told him that free and fair polls were not possible under the present regime of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav and demanded imposition of Central rule in UP.

UNI MB SB LS DS1446