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HVK Archives: Front partners back Bhandari, attack Speaker ujral must

Front partners back Bhandari, attack Speaker ujral must - The Asian Age

Kay Benedict ()
February 26, 1998

Title: Front partners back Bhandari, attack Speaker ujral must
consult us
Author: Kay Benedict
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: February 26, 1998

Several constituents of the United Front, including the Janata
Dal, the CPI(M), the Samajwadi Party, the CPI and the DMK, have
rallied behind Uttar Pradesh governor Romesh Bhandari on the
ground that action of the latter in dismissing chief minister
Kalyan Singh did not amount to violation of constitutional
provisions.

Several Front leaden came down heavily on Uttar Pradesh Assembly
Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi for prolonging a decision on the
status of the 12 rebel BSP MLAs and allowing "splits in
instalments" making a mockery of the Anti-Defection Law.

The Uttar Pradesh situation will be discussed at a meeting of the
Cabinet scheduled for Friday. Union minister S.R. Bommai said
most of the ministers were away campaigning in constituencies and
the Cabinet would take up the issue on Friday.

A senior Janata Dal leader requesting anonymity said on Wednesday
that Prime Minister I. K. Gujral has a lot to answer if he sacked
the governor. He said Mr Gujral was in the know of the
developments in Lucknow on February 21 culminating in the
installation of Jagadambika Pal-led ministry.

Asked if the Front approved the Prime Minister's move to ask Mr
Bhandari to resign, he said: "The Prime Minister has to take the
Front into confidence before doing anything which would benefit
the BJP. Our information is that Mr Gujral will not do any such
thing."

Indirectly backing Mr Bhandari, Mr Bommai said in Bommai vs Union
of India case verdict delivered on March 11, 1994 by the Supreme
Court para 119 said: "it is possible that on some rare occasions
the floor test may be impossible although it is difficult to
envisage such a situation ever even arising." but if such a
situation arose "it should be obligatory on the governor in such
circumstances to give in writing the reasons for not holding the
floor test."

Sources said Mr Bhandari had stated in writing the reasons for
not resorting to a floor test when Mr Pal was sworn in chief
minister.

DMK boss M. Karunanidhi expressed surprise over the strong
reaction of the BJP over the dismissal of the Kalyan Singh
government saying that Mr Vajpayee had remained silent when Mr
Mulayam Singh Yadav government was dismissed under similar
circumstances by the then governor Motilal Vora.

Janata Dal general secretary Wasim Ahmed in a statement said the
breakway group of Bahujan Samaj Party, whose case was pending
before the Assembly Speaker and the high court, should not be
allowed to cast their votes on Thursday. He appealed to the
Supreme Court to take suo moto note of the issue and bar the
breakaway BSP MLAs from taking part in the crucial vote.

Dal spokesman Mohan Prakash said the BJP never had majority in
the Uttar Pradesh Assembly as the 12 rebel BSP MLAs did not
constitute one-third, legally required for a split under the Anti-
Defection Law. Mr Prakash said even after five months the
Speaker failed to disqualify them.


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