Date:17/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/17/stories/2007021713420100.htm

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CPI(M) opposes President's rule

NEW DELHI: Trouble seems to be brewing for the Mulayam Singh Government with the Centre considering the option of imposing President's rule in U.P. However, the Congress party's project of getting rid of the Government has run into frontal opposition from the CPI(M).

Congress leader and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram held talks with Prakash Karat, general secretary of the CPI(M). This comes in the wake of the Supreme Court disqualifying 13 defecting BSP MLAs.

Informed sources said Mr. Karat made plain his party's opposition to such a proposal when he told Mr. Mukherjee that Mulayam Singh had demonstrated the majority of his Government on the floor of the House on January 25.

If, following the Supreme Court judgment, there was any question about the majority of the Mulayam Singh Government, this could be tested on the floor of the Assembly. — PTI