Sibal asks Centre not to shirk constitutional obligation in UP

New Delhi, Feb 17 (UNI) Building up a strong case for the dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh, Union Minister Kapil Sibal today said the Centre should not shirk its constitutional obligation in the state in the light of the February 14 Supreme Court verdict disqualifying 13 BSP MLAs with whose support the state government had survived for more than three years.

''We only believe the Supreme Court. The apex court believes that the Mulayam Singh government was formed on the basis of constitutional infirmity,'' he told a crowded press conference at his official residence. He said the Mulayam government was illegal and unconstitutional.

''The very purpose of meeting you today is to reach out to the people to say what is the reality vis-a-vis the Supreme court verdict on Uttar Pradesh,'' he added.

Mr Sibal, who is also a member of the Congress Core Committee which discussed the political situation in Uttar Pradesh last night, indirectly demanded the dismissal of the state government under article 356 of the Constitution.

''Whichever government is in power should not murder democracy in this way. All governments should protect democracy by taking into account the basic structure of the Constitution,'' Mr Sibal said.

Asked why the Congress extended outside support to the Mulayam Singh government after it was formed with the support of the 13 MLAs who defected from the BSP, Mr Sibal said that ''we could take a stand only after the verdict of the Supreme Court on February 14 this year.'' When his attention was drawn to the opposition of the CPI(M), whose outside support is crucial for the survival of the 33-month-old Manmohan Singh government, to the move to dismiss the Mulayam government ahead of the assembly elections in the state, he said, ''Please wait and see.'' To further questions on the CPI(M)'s stand that the assembly was the better forum to test the fate of a government, Mr Sibal said, ''Whatever is required to be done is being done. There is a process of consultation going on.'' Asked why the Congress could not wait till the floor test in the assembly on February 26, as announced by Mr Mulayam Singh, he said, '' A majority could be cobbled together during this period.'' In this context, he pointed out that the Samajwadi Party had enlisted the support of ten BJP MLAs (who were subsequently expelled from the BJP) during a floor strength test on a vote-of-confidence motion in January this year.

''There are some principles above politics...I hope these are dear to all political parties.'' MORE UNI