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Is Uttar Pradesh headed for President's rule?

February 11, 2012 17:31 IST

Close on the heels of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh hinting at the possibility of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, Bhartiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Yogi Adityanath on Saturday also ruled out the possibility of the formation of any popular government in the state.
 
"Let me tell you that no political party will be in a position to form the government," the sadhu-turned-politician told reporters. 

On being asked if he was foreseeing President's rule in UP, he shot back, "You jolly well know what happens when no political party is in a position to form the government in a state."
 
"I am aware of the ground reality. People sitting in Delhi are oblivious of what is happening on the ground," he told media personnel.
 
Asked to comment on the possibility of a coalition between the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Yogi remarked, "If the BJP decided to give support to (BSP chief and Chief Minister) Mayawati, it will raise a big question mark about the future of the party in the state."

Significantly, the sentiment was expressed a few days ago by senior BJP leader Uma Bharti.
 
When a scribe sought to know his views on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's absence from UP poll campaign, he said, "Well, Modi ji has not been able to come simply because of his preoccupations in his home state."

Referring to Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid's controversial remark about Congress president Sonia Gandhi bursting into tears on seeing pictures of the Batla House encounter in New Delhi, Adityanath said, "I think that should be a good enough reason to show Khurshid the door."

Sharat Pradhan