UP fit case for Prez rule; UP poll on time: BJP

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

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

Mr Singh also questioned Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on theneed to go in for a confidence vote in the assembly on February 26 whennobody had asked for it. ''Seeking confidence vote by the presentgovernment will only lead to horse-trading and create furtherconstitutional crisis in UP,'' he asserted.

Talking to mediaperson before leaving for New Delhi, Mr Singhreiterating that BJP will support the bill in Parliament overimposition of President's Rule in UP, said Congress is in double mindas it wants to save its government at the centre by not riskingwithdrawal of support by Left parties.

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

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

He also asked the Samajwadi Party government to resign beforeFebruary 26, as on that date five years would be completed since thelast assembly poll. ''When I was CM in 2001, all SP MLAs had resigneden 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 theday and held Congress responsible for not acting according to thepeoples' aspirations. ''Recent self immolation by a farmer at thepublic rally of the CM at Mahoba proves the condition of the poor inthe state,'' he said.

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

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

UNI