Lucknow: The Congress in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday urged the Centre to take "appropriate measures" to rid the State of the current dispensation so that there could be an end to the "prevailing mafia and jungle raj".

In a resolution adopted at the party state unit meeting here, it claimed the Samajwadi Party-led Government in the State had lost the "trust of the people".

"The meeting is of a definite opinion that this Government has lost the trust of the people and the people want to be rid of the Government. The Centre should take appropriate measures so that the prevailing mafia and jungle raj can be finished," the resolution said.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, UPCC president Salman Khursheed said the crime graph has been "shooting up sharply and the people are not feeling safe in the present regime." He also alleged that the development of the State had come to a standstill and the budgetary allocation given by the Centre was not being put to proper use. "Only Saifai (Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's native village) is being developed," he said. Referring to political killings in the State, the UPCC president said the representatives at the meeting were of the view that police force was feeling "demoralised" owing to "political pressures". Khursheed also regretted the statements of SP leaders on the phone-tapping episode and said the country's image had suffered a "setback due to their unprincipled allegations". In reply to a query, he said SP leaders were "themselves revealing" what was there in the tapes. Khursheed alleged that as many as a dozen members of the state Cabinet had a "criminal background". Asked whether his party would consider withdrawal of its support to the Yadav government, he quipped, "there is no support to withdraw".

On whether he would demand dismissal of the state government, Khursheed said it was for the Centre to decide.

Referring to Yadav's reported offer to the BJP to join the `third front' if it gives up the Hindutva agenda, he said Yadav's "true face had been exposed" to the people. ``This development would have far reaching consequences on the national and state polity,'' he said.

Mr Khursheed said the SP, in a bid to further its political interests, was indulging in "under the table discussions with communal forces." He said while the SP claimed to be a socialist party, it had a tacit understanding with the BJP.

Earlier, addressing a seminar of Pradesh Congress Committee delegates at the State unit headquarters here, newly-appointed AICC general secretary in charge of UP affairs Ashok Gehlot said in the past 15 years, the organisational structure of the UPCC has weakened.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal stressed upon the need to organise a `jan sampark abhiyan' to interact with masses on a door-to-door basis.

Union Small Scale Industries Minister Mahavir Prasad said a pledge was essential to root out all anti-people governments. "For this we need the constant support of all grass-roots workers and leaders," he said.

The resolution also criticised the CM for claiming that there was a threat on his life. ``This is nothing but his bid to divert the people's attention from the overall failure of his government,'' the resolution added. - PTI & UNI

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