QOTD: Sonia miscalculated UP?

DIAL 356 FOR EMERGENCY: Experts debate if it's politically prudent to have Prez rule in UP.

        

Other stories in the section:

Is Kalam a pawn in President polls?

Kalam has consistently said that he is not interested in a second term but that hardly matters to parties.

• VP says he'll back out for Kalam

Featured Blog

Abhishek Patni

MAULANA MULAYAM AND PERILS OF NUCLEAR DEAL

Featured Slideshows

With the Election Commission announcing the poll dates for Uttar Pradesh, the battle for the state seems to have just begun. The Congress has also not given up the idea of imposing President's rule in Uttar Pradesh with Governor T V Rajeshwar sending a fresh report to the Centre saying the time is apt for imposing Article 356.

In a three-page letter, the Governor has expressed fears of horse trading during Mulayam Singh Yadav government’s floor test, on February 26, to prove his majority. Congress sources also indicate that the question of President's rule will be re-looked on that day.

This is the fifth report sent by the Governor on the issue and this leads to the question that was asked on CNN-IBN’s Face the Nation: Did Sonia Gandhi get it wrong in Uttar Pradesh?

On the panel of experts were Rajya Sabha MP and General Secretary of Samajwadi Party Shahid Siddiqui, Senior CPM leader Nilotpal Basu and Rajya Sabha MP and Congress Spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

With the poll schedule out it clearly seems that the Congress had miscalculated its moves. The Election Commission perhaps sprung a surprise on the party when it came out with the dates.

Refuting the allegation, Singhvi said, “President’s rule is a Constitutional power entrusted with the President of India. A poll schedule is a statutory power entrusted in part to the Election Commission under an act of Parliament and not the Constitution. So, the two are totally different. In terms of legality, President’s rule can be imposed before, during or after the announcement of poll schedule.”

So, technically it’s possible and constitutionally it is permissible but is it politically prudent?

“Well, that is the point. Whether President’s rule should be imposed is something to be discussed with the UPA allies. And if they decide then the Government has to take a decision. It is not for the Congress to merely stipulate. If we (Congress) wanted to short-circuit the Mulayam government and act arbitrarily in disregard of norms then we would have done it overnight,” a very agitated Singhvi replied.

No midnight misadventure for Left

Now, the Left has said it clearly that they don’t want the ‘midnight misadventure,’ so as to speak, in Uttar Pradesh. The Left does not want any Raj Bhavan or Central Government intervention either.

In the light of these developments when the Governor has sent another fresh report, is there any change in the Left’s stand?

“No, absolutely not. We have pointed out with great pain that our stand is not dictated by our attitude to the Samajwadi Party. It is dictated by a principal position born out of years of experience on how Article 356 is misused. Imposing the President’s rule will only help forces like BJP,” Basu argued.

But with the poll schedule announced, the matter of President’s rule seems settled as far as the Left is concerned.

“Even after this if the Government thinks that they want to go ahead with this idea then they are suffering from political myopia. There is patent impropriety involved in this because whosoever wants to impose the President’s rule then that person has no confidence in the EC as a constitutional authority to hold free and fair elections,” Basu said.

SP-Congress slugfest

With the sword of Article 356 still hanging on UP’s neck, Samajwadi Party, which is at the centre of the storm, says that Congress is committing “political hara-kiri” by wanting to impose President’s rule.

“If Congress wants to commit political hara-kiri it is welcome to do it. We don’t mind it because we have confidence in the people of UP and our party. The Congress wants to bring their kind of administration as they did in Bihar to get their kind of results. But such things are always counter-productive and they will not gain anything,” Siddiqui reasoned.

Meanwhile, Singhvi explained that President’s rule and the poll schedule are like chalk and cheese.

“If you take action under one then how does it take aspersion on the other? There is a view that one cannot hold free and fair elections in UP as there will be horse trading. But one can’t jump the gun to impose President’s rule. There is a great amount of thought and sensitivity and everybody’s point of view is being considered,” Singhvi said.

But the Congress seems watered down after the release of the poll schedule. There was a Constitutional impropriety that was taking place in UP but the party is not talking about that anymore.

“First you put us on a peak and then you get us down. Am reiterating that there cannot be a bigger question mark on the legitimacy of the Mulayam government. But whether that will translate into President’s rule is a different question,” Singhvi said.

Dial 356 for Emergency

Left opposes the President’s rule but mostly remains silent, the BJP like to be on both sides of this debate and the regional parties can’t make up their mind. But the continuing factor in all of this is that Congress can’t resist the temptation of dismissing the state governments of parties other than their own.

The Congress has withdrawn support from the Government, the RLD has walked out, 13 members have been disqualified by the Supreme Court order, the BJP has also told the Speaker that members who voted for SP during the January 25 floor test be also disqualified. So, what is wrong if everyone does believe that there is going to be cross-voting?

“No, everybody doesn’t believe that. We believe that the Congress is trying to wean away our members. Even with 13 members less we have a clear majority. Congress is a master at such games,” Siddiqui said.

Walking the tightrope Basu said, “How can I say? What we believe is that whether Mulayam government has the majority or not should be tested on the floor.”

And concluding the discussion Singhvi said, “There is one significant error in the debate. Not 13 but all 37 were disqualified. Please read para 53 of the Supreme Court judgement. And of course there will be horse-trading. This government has always been buying MLAs and votes. So, that is the legitimacy of the UP government before you.”

Final results: Did Sonia Gandhi get it wrong in Uttar Pradesh?

Yes: 79 per cent

No: 21 per cent