DMK to oppose move to dismiss UP govt

Chennai, Feb 18 (UNI) Opposing any move to dismiss the Mulayam Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a key constituent of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, today said the party's stand had always been against the use of Article 356 of the constitution to impose President's rule in any state.

In an informal chat with UNI here, DMK spokesman T K S Elangovan said his party had always opposed the use of article 356 in any state. ''There is no change in the DMK's stand on it as the party had all along been demanding its removal from the constitution.

When Mulayam Singh had offered to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly, he should be allowed to do so, Mr Elangovan said.

Asked whether the DMK ministers in the Manmohan Singh government would oppose if the issue came before the Cabinet, he said the DMK ministers had opposed imposition of President's rule in several states, including Bihar, in the past.

On AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa's opposition to imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, he said Ms Jayalalithaa was adopting 'double standards' on the issue of invoking article 356 of the constitution against the state governments.

It was only because of her ''personal equation'' with Mulayam Singh, Ms Jayalalalithaa was enacting a drama to oppose the Centre's move to topple the Mulayam Singh government, he said.

The AIADMK had been supporting the use of Article 356, he said and pointed out that Ms Jayalalithaa had on several occasions demanded the dismissal of the Karunanidhi Government in Tamil Nadu.

UNI