The Hindu : National : BJP's allies not with it on U.P.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2007
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National

National

BJP's allies not with it on U.P.

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party's partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are not with it on its demand for President's rule in Uttar Pradesh.

Emerging from a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Biju Janata Dal's Braj Kishore Tripathi said his party was opposed to President's rule in the State. The logic was clear: the Mulayam Singh Government had stated its willingness to test its strength on the Assembly floor on February 26 and Assembly elections are due in a couple of months.

While opposition to use of Article 356 of the Constitution is almost a part of the Akali Dal's creed, NDA convener George Fernandes has reportedly expressed his unhappiness with and disapproval of apparent moves by the Centre to impose President's rule.

Real intent

The BJP has been making it clear that more than imposition of President's rule it is more interested in fanning differences between the Congress and the CPI(M).

A senior BJP leader said: "If President's rule is imposed, the Congress would commit a constitutional sin and we will get the electoral benefit even as a crack will appear between the Congress and the Left. And, if the Centre does not go ahead, it would now seem it has given in to the Left demand. Either way it suits us." Party president Rajnath Singh has dismissed differences in the NDA over Uttar Pradesh. He had said there was no NDA in the State, in that there was no coalition arrangement in place there.

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