Rajnath for President's rule in UP

Lucknow, Dec 20 (UNI) Coming down heavily on the poor law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh today demanded President's rule in the State.

''BJP will support if any resolution, with regard to imposition of Central rule in UP, is moved in Parliament,'' Mr Singh told reporters after his arrival here this afternoon.

The BJP supremo is here to attend the three-day BJP National Executive and the National Council starting December 22.

He said the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in UP was synonymous to crime, hence fair and free conduct of the coming State Assmebly polls was not possible under this regime. ''Central rule is a viable political alternative in UP,'' he added.

Stating the UP Assembly polls were on top of party's agenda, the BJP President said besides UP polls, the elections in Punjab and Uttarakhand would also be the point of discussion during the party meet to be attended by top brass of the BJP, including former Prime Minister Atal Beharai Vajpayee and L K Advani.

He alleged that the appeasement of Muslims for the sake of ''vote politics'' was order of the day in the regime of UPA at the Centre.

''The poor tackling of terrorism is also linked to the appeasement policy which would be deliberated upon in the BJP meet,'' he claimed.

The National Council, taking place for the first time in Lucknow, will affirm Mr Singh as the party president for a three-year renewed term in his home State of Uttar Pradesh.

UNI SB NAB HS GC1846