Manmohan Singh rules out early Lok Sabha poll

Onboard Air India One, Nov 16 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Sunday ruled out any possibility of early Lok Sabha elections.

He said this in an answer to a question asked by accompanying media persons on board Air India One on his way back home from Washington. Dr. Singh said elections will be held on schedule. He added the present financial crisis has no bearing on elections.

Dr. Singh said, the crisis is not our making but he would like the people to judge his government by its response to the crisis. The government acted in time and while the rest of the world is in doom and gloom, India still maintains a growth rate of 7.5 per cent.

He said, if inflation comes down, there will be scope for maneuverability both in more aggressive use of monetary and fiscal policies on the evolving situation relating to interest rate.

When asked about possible reduction in the prices of petroleum products because of the falling international crude prices, Dr. Singh said, all options are open.

In an answer to question, when the present global financial crises will be over, the prime minister said that he is not an astrologer but he thinks that there are apprehensions that we have not seen the worst of the crisis as yet.

Dr. Singh said there are conflicting view points on this but our efforts must be to contain and roll back the crisis but how long it will take, it is anybody's guess.

ANI