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February 21, 2007 23:11 IST
Even as the Election Commission announced the election schedule for Uttar Pradesh, thereby bringing into effect the election code of conduct , Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav still fears dismissal of his government.
"The enforcement of the election code of conduct may disallow transfer of even the smallest government official, but the Congress party is not likely to give up its bid to topple my government against all democratic and Constitutional norms," Mulayam told a hurriedly convened press meet in Lucknow on Wednesday evening.
The EC announcement appeared to have brought much respite to his otherwise tense state of mind that was visible at the earlier press conference during the day.
Only a few hours earlier, both he and his party general secretary confidante Amar Singh had cast serious aspersions against the commission which he accused of being under the influence of the ruling Congress.
"I must congratulate the Election Commission for not allowing itself to get influenced by the Congress party that was keen on deferring the elections," he said.
However when a scribe sought to know whether it was constitutionally possible to impose President's rule once state elections had been announced, he remarked, "Where the Congress is concerned, it is capable of doing anything. Even the constitution is meaningless to that party which had made a single point goal -- to dismiss my government and indulge in back-seat driving after clamping President's rule," he charged.
"The Congress wants to use the office of Governor to fulfill its political agenda, but little does it seem to realise that elections are not won with the help of governors. You have to win the hearts of the people and people are with the Samajwadi Party", he pointed out. He termed the Congress a "party devoid of any mass base."
Making an obvious reference to Rahul Gandhi , he went on to add, "The Congress party is desperate to install the rajkumar (prince) on the power pedestal, even though it is fast losing ground in most states." He also predicted doom for the Congress governments in both Punjab and Uttaranchal where polling was held earlier in the day.
Claiming support of several prominent political leaders of the country, he termed it as realisation of his oft-repeated dream for the formation of a third force at the national level.
"Not only the CPM, but even other senior political leaders like Nitish Kumar, Naveen Patnaik, Jayalalitha, Chandra Babu Naidu and Om Prakash Chautala and several others, are all opposed to imposition of President's rule" he said. "And that should be read as the first indication of emergence of the third political force about which I have been talking for a long time", he added.
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