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Uttar Pradesh : Demand for President’s rule after BSP MLA’s murder |
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The murder of a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator in Uttar Pradesh has led to a demand for the dismissal of the Samajwadi Party led Mulayam Singh Yadav government in the State. The Lucknow police have arrested SP leader Mohammad Ashraf, brother of SP MP Atiq Ahmad in connection with the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal in Allahabad on Tuesday, January 25. Raju Pal had defeated Mohammad Ashraf in an Assembly by-election in October last year. Over two dozen criminal cases were pending against Raju Pal while the Atiq-Ashraf brothers have also a long history of criminal activities in Allahabad region.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP president Mayawati has demanded a CBI enquiry into the murder of the party MLA and the dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government. The BJP has also stepped up pressure on the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government by demanding dismissal of the state government and imposition of President’s rule in the State. There was violence in Allahabad as a dozen vehicles were set ablaze after the killing of the BSP MLA and two of his supporters.
There are indications that the incident can lead to political realignments in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress has expressed concern over what it called the tottering law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh but steered clear of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s demand for President’s rule in the state. There are reports that Mayawati has made it clear that she is willing to join hands with the Congress to corner Mulayam Singh Yadav. There is no immediate threat to the Samajwadi Party-RLD alliance government in Uttar Preadesh as it enjoys a comfortable majority but the prospects of the BSP making common cause with the Congress can be source of concern for Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The Congress has tried to distance itself from the Mulayam Singh Yadav government. It says that its support to the Samajwadi Party in 2003 to form an alternative government to the Mayawati regime was a “One time cheque that has been encashed and not a credit card”. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee presadient Salman Khursheed and party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said support was extended to the Yadav for the formation of government to keep away communal forces. Khursheed said “We supported the formation of a government, not its running. We are not part of the government and there is no common minimum programme”. Observers say that the Congress tough talk of not ruling out dismissing the UP government over the BSP MLA’s murder reflects the frost in its ties with Mulayam Singh Yadav. There have been quite a few straws in the wind pointing to the possibility of a Congress-BSP partnership in UP. Attorney General Milon Kumar Banerjee’s opinion that the culpability of Mayawati in the Taj Corridor case was difficult to establish – which became the basis for the CBI to let her off the hook – has not escaped the attention of political circles. Significance is also being attached to Allahabad High Court putting on fast-track the case arising out of BSP’s petition, seeking the disqualification of its 40-odd MLAs who crossed over to the SP. The then UP Assembly Speaker had ruled that the “movement” was a split and therefore did not attract the disqualification under the anti-defection Act. BSP, however, has contended that the defections took place in batches rather than in one go and, therefore, the MLAs cannot claim immunity from disqualification. The High Court’s view will be of critical significance for the fate of the UP Government. Disqualification of the MLAs, who have since joined the SP, will reduce it to a minority. The Congress leadership is said to be keenly following the progress of the case.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has rejected the demand for his resignation and for entrusting the investigation of the Raju Pal murder case to the CBI. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Yadav asserted that the internal security scenario in Uttar Pradesh was “Perfectly normal, comparable to other peaceful states and better than many others”. Yadav expressed surprise over the censuring remarks of former Prime Minister Vajpayee over his Government’s performance on the law and order front. “What has surprised me is the fact that VajpayeeJi too has begun singing the same tune that the Congress has been singing. But then both of them had been fighting the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh together, albeit with little successes”, he said, adding that “both the parties have grown restless as people refuse to vote for them and they continue to forfeit their deposits in elections after elections”.
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