The Hindu : National : Early polls in U.P. can't be ruled out, says Arjun

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 14, 2004

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National

Early polls in U.P. can't be ruled out, says Arjun

KOLKATA, JUNE 13. Senior Congress leader and Human Resources and Development Minister, Arjun Singh, today indicated that there might be early elections in Uttar Pradesh.

``Anything can happen in politics and election is very much part of political process. I don't know what is happening there (in U.P.),'' Mr. Singh told PTI.

Asked whether he foresaw early elections in the State, Mr. Singh said, ``Elections can be held anywhere... after all it is a part of political process, but I am not saying that we are trying to get it done in U.P.''

On the general perception that there have been hitches among the coalition partners from the very start of the formation of the new Government, he said, ``One thing I can tell you is nobody is trying to dictate terms and neither any one of us is in that frame of mind.''

``We are working together and everyone knows that this alliance Government has to succeed for five years and only then can we checkmate the drift that had been started in the affairs of the country.''

Commenting on the recent political development in Uttar Pradesh where senior Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders were in a war of words, the Minister felt that ``it was part of a whole process'.

He, however, refused to comment on the SP leader, Amar Singh's statement that Mr. Arjun Singh was responsible for failure of an understanding between the two parties before the general election saying, ``I don't want to get involved in that kind of dialogue.''

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