Scrap Article 356: V P Singh

Former prime minister V P Singh says Article 356 of the Constitution should be scrapped.

Referring to the Union Cabinet's recent decision to impose President's rule in Uttar Pradesh following the bedlam in the state assembly during the vote of confidence of the Kalyan Singh government, he said, ''The President was right in asking the Cabinet to reconsider its earlier decision to impose central rule in Uttar Pradesh.''

Singh said the new law should ensure that only Parliament is empowered to dissolve the state assemblies. ''The executive should not be given the power,'' he added.

Commenting on the UP imbroglio, Singh said the anti-defection law had not served its purpose. ''It should be amended suitably and those who defected should resign their seats and seek a mandate from the people.''

The former prime minister said the formation of a nationwide anti-Bharatiya Janata Party front by the United Front and the Congress has been consigned to the ''waste paper basket''. Singh himself was its prime mover.

''For me, the unity of the United Front is supreme, and if the Left and regional parties do not want such an arrangement, I will not pursue it,'' the senior Janata Dal leader said.

The announcement came in the wake of sharp criticism from various UF leaders, including H D Deve Gowda, Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel and Left leaders, who had contended that it was impractical.

According to them, the Front constituents have to take on the Congress in as many as 10 states, and an understanding with that party elsewhere would be counter-productive.

Singh, however, parried questions whether the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party should come together following the breaking up of the BJP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh. He said he would make his views on the subject known later.

UNI and Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi