Karat welcomes UPA's stand on UP

Jaipur, Feb 22 (UNI) CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat today expressed the happiness over the ''consideration'' of the UPA government on the advice of the Left Front regarding the imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Karat, who was here to address a farmers' rally, told mediapersons: ''We are happy that our opinion has been taken into cognisance by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.'' ''The Prime Minister had sought our opinion and we are delighted by his response,'' he said.

He said with the announcement of the schedule for the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the issue of President's rule did not exist now.

Mr Karat reiterated that ''the Assembly is the most appropriate place to prove government's majority and if the government loses its mandate in the Assembly, it will go on its own.'' He said the Left Parties have no soft corner for Mulayam Singh and the party's position was same in all states, irrespective of its power.

The CPM will fight elections in UP on its own without the support of any party, he said.

UNI