UP elections announcement dims prospects of Central Rule

New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI) The prospects of President's Rule being imposed in Uttar Pradesh by the UPA coalition Govenment appeared to have receded today with the Election Commission having announced a seven-phase schedule for Assembly elections in the state starting from April 7 and ending on May 8.

The Congress, which earlier in the day called upon the Government to take all steps to prevent horse trading in Uttar Pradesh short of demanding demanding President's Rule, however, welcomed the announcement of elections."We are ready for the Assembly polls,"said Congress Spokesperson Jayanti Natrajan, adding "We will make a comeback in the UP polls." "The Congress was not clamouring for President's Rule,"Mrs Natrajan clarified in her reaction to the announcement of poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh.

However, sources still did not rule out the possibility of President's Rule being imposed in the state dismissing the State Government invoking Article 356 of the Constitution. The speculations were fuelled by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh holding a meeting of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Law Minister H R Bharadwaj to discuss Uttar Pradesh situation in the context of the announcement of the poll schedule there.

Ever since the Supreme Court verdict disqualifying 13 BSP MLAs supporting Mr Mulayam Singh, the Congress has been demanding resignation of the Mulayam Singh Government on the plea that it had lost all moral right to continue in power. The party discussed the UP situation at the CWC and left it to the Centre to decide on action to be taken against the UP Government.

The Congress bid to mobilise the support of the UPA allies to the move for promulgation of President's Rule in the state received wide support from most of the UPA allies. However, the CPI-M and Left parties opposed the move to invoke Article 356 and wanted Mr Mulaym Singh to be given a chance to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

The Congress Party's undeclared move for imposition of President's Rule has suffered a setback today with the announcement of poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh by the Election Commission.

UNI