UP fit case for President's rule; UP poll to be on time: BJP

Lucknow, Feb 20 (UNI) BJP president Rajnath Singh today said the Supreme Court decision disqualifying 13 MLAs had created a 'constitutional crisis' in Uttar Pradesh and the state was now a ''fit case'' for the use of Article 356 of the Constitution.

''But, Congress has to ensure it will not delay the UP assembly poll and it should be held before the Presidential poll,'' he added.

Mr Singh also questioned Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on the need to go in for a confidence vote in the assembly on February 26 when nobody had asked for it. ''Seeking confidence vote by the present government will only lead to horse-trading and create further constitutional crisis in UP,'' he asserted.

Talking to mediaperson before leaving for New Delhi, Mr Singh reiterating that BJP will support the bill in Parliament over imposition of President's Rule in UP, said Congress is in double mind as it wants to save its government at the centre by not risking withdrawal of support by Left parties.

''If the Congress did not impose President's rule in UP then it will fail to comply with the SC ruling over the constitutional crisis,'' he asserted.

Claiming anarchy was prevailing in the Mulayam Singh Yadav ruled state, the former UP chief minister maintained that the imposition of President's Rule is needed to end the 'Jungle Raj'.

He also asked the Samajwadi Party government to resign before February 26, as on that date five years would be completed since the last assembly poll. ''When I was CM in 2001, all SP MLAs had resigned en masse to protest the extended term of the assembly, now this time, where are their morals,'' he questioned.

The BJP president said the UP situation was deteriorating by the day and held Congress responsible for not acting according to the peoples' aspirations. ''Recent self immolation by a farmer at the public rally of the CM at Mahoba proves the condition of the poor in the state,'' he said.

Defending state BJP president and former assembly speaker Keshri Nath Tripathi over the opposition demand to quit from active politics after the SC ruling, Mr Singh said he had taken the decision then on the bases of facts available at that time.

''How can we charge anyone about the judgement three years later,'' he said adding it is quite common that higher courts reverse the decision of lower courts.

UNI