UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007

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UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-14-2007

Amar Singh, Mulayam Singh continue to rediscover their Hindu heart with immediacy as UP elections approach.

Openly seen on stage with an 'idol'! that too of Bhagwan Sri Krishna... even so in inauguration of Sri Lakshman Mela in Lucknow!!

<img src='http://epaper.jagran.com/1322007/ald/12lko01.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-14-2007

Post 81:
QUOTEAmar Singh, Mulayam Singh continue to rediscover their Hindu heart with immediacy as UP elections approach.Talk is cheap and so too is the tackiness on display when they pose with Hindu vigrahas prior to elections.

If they really had a change of heart, they ought to let their actions (concerning governance) speak. First they ought to have let Yogi Adityanath go free, and cleared his name and that of the HYV via the same christomedia used to defame them. Then they should have started rescinding the many extra rights granted to the christoislamic 'minority' and let the state give Hindu temples back to the care and oversight of Hindu communities, and taken other actions that undo the minoritysing of the Hindu majority.

Please the Gods that these frauds do not fool the many goodnatured Hindus (who would be only too delighted to see the two Singhs do something - anything - vaguely Hindu) into voting for them. The Singhs had their chance, and so too the other psecular parties; and they showed what they were made of: anti-Hindu to the core.
Newfound 'Hindu' sentiments don't need to be paraded around; they should retire into a quiet corner and let actual Hindu (truly secular) parties come into power instead.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-15-2007

QUOTEDid polarisation of Sikh votes spark high polling in Punjab? 
Satinder Bains | Chandigarh
What does the extraordinary high polling in the Punjab Assembly elections imply? Is it the strong anti-incumbency factor or polarisation of Sikh voters particularly among rural Sikhs in favour of the Akalis due to the open support of the Congress by dera Sacha Sauda of Sirsa?

The Punjab elections are expected to throw many surprises in wake of an extremely high poll percentage of 76 per cent, which is the second highest in the electoral history of Punjab.

In the 1969 elections, the poll percentage was 72.27 per cent. In 2007, the poll percentage is expected to touch all time high after counting of postal votes.

The heavy turnout has stunned political parties who were expecting between 50 to 60 per cent polling due to heavy rain for the last three days. During the early hours on Tuesday, polling was so slow that political observers had started calculating that not more than 50 per cent votes would be cast.

Even in 1977, when the Janata Party wave had swept the elections and there was a strong anti-incumbency factor against the Congress due to the Emergency imposed in 1975, the total percentage of polling was 65.37 per cent. One can understand higher polling in 1967 and 1969 immediately after the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966. The sentimental factor might have driven people to polling stations.

In the 1997 elections, when the SAD (B) had grabbed power, only 68.73 per cent voters had turned out. In 2002 when the Congress came to power, the turnout was only 66.70 per cent. The poll percentage was 67.53 per cent in 1985, 64.33 per cent in 1980, 68.63 per cent in 1972, 72.27 per cent in 1969 and 23.82 per cent in 1992 when the Akalis had boycotted the elections.

The high poll percentage has baffled political leaders and they are drawing convenient conclusions for themselves. The predictions of newspapers, TV channels and political gurus expecting a lower turnout were belied.

However it is felt that open support to Congress by organisers of dera Sucha Sauda Sirsa might have triggered a higher vote percentage for both the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). These facts could only be realised after election results are declared on February 27.

First the supporters of dera would have turned out in strength to vote and on the other side the Sikhs who were not very happy with the decision of dera Sacha Sauda might have thronged the polling booths to retaliate the dera action. A deep study of polling pattern in the State has raised an iota of possibility that the rural Sikh voters usually attached to Sikh deras in the countryside had rallied behind the SAD. The hardliner Sikhs linked to these deras are considered vote banks of radical political parties including the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) and other splinter Akali groups.

The highest polling percentage was reported from Malwa region where followers of dera Sacha Sauda and supporters of SAD are in concentration. The Sikh dominated-Mansa district has recorded the highest 85 per cent polling. In a small town like Dirbha in Sangrur, a record 90 per cent polling was done against 76 per cent in 2002 elections and in Sardulgarh, another Akali bastion, the second highest in the State, 87 per cent vote was cast against 77 per cent in the previous election.

The trend of high polling was even extended to Majha region and rural areas of Doaba where there is no presence of dera Sacha Sauda followers. What does it indicate, the polarisation among rural Sikhs across the State?

Patiala town where Amarinder Singh is seeking re-election, a record 22 per cent increase in polling percentage was recorded at 69 per cent against about 48 per cent in the previous election.

Amloh and Sirhind seats in the neighbourhood recorded 12 and 6 per cent hike respectively. Rajpura seat showed an increase of 12 per cent in the polling.

Except for the four seats of Amritsar city where there was 50 to 55 per cent polling against 45 to 50 per cent in the previous election, the poll percentage in Amritsar was 57.30 per cent. In Sikh-dominated Ahnala the voting percentage went up by 10 per cent. Raja Sansi was the only exception where the polling come down from 72.33 to 64 per cent.

Even in Sikh-dominated Tarn Taran, the poll percentage was 68.50 per cent, the highest being 71 per cent in Patti on the Indo-Pak border. The Patti, Khadoor Sahib and Naushehra Pannuan seatas also jumped the voting figures by 10 per cent.

In largely Sikh-dominated Gurdaspur district, 72.09 per cent votes were polled against 60 to 65 percent in the previous elections. In Gurdaspur seats where the Congress held the seats the polling jumped by five to 10 per cent in certain cases except for Batal where it remained at 66 per cent. It also remained static in Dhariwal (72 per cent) where the rebel Akalis had won last time.

In Jalandhar district of Doaba, the poll percentage was 72.70 per cent. Doaba is considered a stronghold of the Congress. The percentage was higher by five to 18 per cent on all seats held by the Congress like Kartarpur (75 per cent), Jalandhar Cantt (68 per cent), Adampur (80 per cent), Jalandhar North (69 per cent), Jalandhar central and South (65 per cent), Nakodar (77 per cent) and Phillaur (75 per cent). The highest polling 78 per cent was in Noor Mehal. During the 2002 Assembly elections city seats had recorded a turnout between 50 to 60 per cent and in rural areas turnout was between 60 to 70 per cent. The high percentage here is also attributed to the anti-incumbency against sitting MLAs.

In another important region of Doaba, district Nawanshehar 75.13 per cent polling was reported, 79 per cent in Nawanshehar, 74 per cent in Banga and 72 per cent in Balachaur. In Nawanshehar 10 per cent higher polling (79.40) was recorded against 2002 statistics.

In Mukerian the traditional Congress seat won six times by Speaker Kewal Krishan, the vote percentage declined by 12 per cent to 60 per cent only. The Bhatinda seat held by State Finance Minister Surinder Kumar Singla, the polling has risen from 55 to 87 per cent. In Lehragaga seat held by Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal voting percentage jumped from 71.58 to 82 per cent.Â 

I think its all about, as they say in Punjabi "vota pukta di ti". Which means all proxy voters did service for "No shows" at polling booth.
Now question is which party had upper hand.
Result will tell, in rurual it was SAD.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-15-2007

Why mainstream Sikhs and Hindus will vote against this cult?

The Dera Sacha Sauda in Haryana and its head are under investigation in connection with the murder of a journalist and charges of sexual exploitation of women followers of the sect.

Dera Sacha Sauda Sirsa- of Sexual Orgies, Intrigues and Series of Murders

Why Fatwa? Why they are supporting Congress?
Dera Sacha Sauda case: Probe officer shifted

Cults, Deras, and Babas : Gold mine for Votes QUOTECapt. Amarinder Singh of the Congress (I) party holds a strong tie with Dera Sacha Sauda, lead by Gurmeet Ram Rahim.Â Recently, the presence of several chief Congress leaders has been noted at a Sat Sang of the Dera Sacha Sauda in Mohali.
...........
Since most followers of the deras work explicitly in accordance with the wishes of the dera leaders, they are also keen on knowing who will be privileged in this year's assembly elections.
...
The Radhaswami Sat Sang, compared to the past decade has lost many followers, it still retains over 80 lakh followers, with most based in the Doaba region. [because people returning back to mainstream Hindusim/Sanatam Dharma]
..................
The Sacha Sauda Cult also recently announced its plans of forming a seven-member committee to raise awareness of a specific political party within its members

link
QUOTEFor example, in Sangrur, BSP candidate Avtar Singh is a follower and was asking for votes in the name of Dera and fighting it out with Congress nominee Surinder Pal Singh, rendering the Dera community in this constituency divided over whom to vote.

Ram Singh, a member of the political affairs wing of Dera Sacha Sauda, admitted that a number of Dera followers were contesting on smaller party tickets or as independents.

"We can't do anything about these contestants. We have already told Dera followers to vote for Congress," he said.

The Dera edict has also caused a rift among those followers, who have been supporting and voting Akalis in previous elections.

Some followers in villages of Mansa belt have decided not to vote for the Congress as they have always been staunch Akali supporters. 

According to political observers, the "fatwa" issued by Dera has resulted in a split among its followers and might dash the Congress hopes.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-15-2007

Mudy

Thanks for digging this out. If TOI calls this a fatwa then something fishy is going on - things might not be as simple as they sound.

Meanwhile Shenoy with an interesing piece on rediff

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/feb/09flip.htm

QUOTEThe crucial difference between 1997 and 2007 is that the prime minister and the Congress president belong to the same party. There is, therefore, no danger of anyone driving forth from 10, Janpath to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Easter Sunday this year. But what the Punjab elections threaten to do is to widen the gap between the party and the government, with economic reforms being a victim in this squabble.

If Dr Manmohan Singh bucks the odds to lead the Congress back to a second term in Punjab, he will cast aside his image as a man who cannot win elections. That will make him very unpopular with the circle around Sonia Gandhi, who opted for him over all the Congressmen in the Lok Sabha precisely because he could never be a 'threat'. But if the anti-Congress trend continues from 2004, Congressmen will lay the blame at the prime minister's economic reforms.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-15-2007

QUOTEÂ
Delhi Cong leaders rush to Uttarakhand to help party
Pioneer.com
Rajesh Kumar | New Delhi
Disheartened over the cancellation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's visit to the State due to inclement weather, Uttarakhand Congress leaders have been pinning their hopes on top Delhi leaders. Services of Delhi Congress leaders have been requisitioned to boost the morale of Congress campaign in Uttarakhand Assembly election which is going to polls on February 21.

The Congress high command has pitched in the Congress stalwarts - senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jai Prakash Aggarwal and Muslim leader Hasan Ahmed from the Capital - to woo all classes of voters. Aggarwal has been sent to the hill State to cast a shadow on Bania and other business class electors. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has been dispatched to trumpet about her abilities as a woman Chief Minister who has proved an able administrator. Dikshit has plans to campaign in Pithoragarh on Thursday.

Similarly, minority community leader Hasan Ahmed is also in Uttarakhand to woo Muslim voters in favour of Congress party. Ahmed was the president of the Delhi Pradesh Sewa Dal when Uttarakhand Congress president Harish Rawat was national president of the Congress Sewa Dal. Ahemd has a clean image among the Muslims. Ahmed is wooing electorate in Muslims dominated area.

Earlier, heavy snowfall lashing Mussoorie, Nainital and other parts of Uttarakhand affected campaigning in Uttarakhand. Congress president Sonia Gandhi was also scheduled to visit in Garhwal region on Wednesday but her programme got cancelled at the last moment due to bad weather. Gandhi's tour is being rescheduled for Thursday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had to cancel his election trip due to inclement weather on Tuesday
..............
The party also believes that Congress may not be in a very comfortable situation in Uttarakhand as election campaining are not in planned manner.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-16-2007

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/feb/16up.htm

Centre considering President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh

================

BJP should take lessons from Congress on how to rule ruthlessly.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-16-2007

QUOTEBJP should take lessons from Congress on how to rule ruthlessly. 
Or how to rule without shame and with full corruption.

She had started rail service from Raibariley to Mumbai, new coach factory. I am wondering when she will move 10 Janapth and Capital to Raibareley or Amethi. After so much dole that place is still backward.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-17-2007

Cong, Left discuss UP govtâs fate

U.P. Governor consults legal experts

Time to quit? UP CM seeks advice QUOTENew Delhi: The political endgame is being played out in Uttar Pradesh. CNN-IBN has learnt that Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has begun legal consultations to look into the possibility of stepping down.

Meanwhile, the UPA Government at the Centre is seriously considering President's rule in the state. They have taken key ally, CPM, into confidence over this. But for the moment, the Left seems opposed to the idea.


Why Congress is listening left, Congress is expert in every unconstitutional activity?

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-19-2007

Yesterday's news:
http://www.dailypioneer.com/displayit1.asp...page/story3.txt
QUOTESack Govt: Rajeswar (same dude who couldn't abide Samskritam)
Pioneer News Service | LucknowÂ

Uttar Pradesh Governor TV Rajeswar has sent a 'Status Report' to the Centre on the prevailing political situation in the State following the Supreme Court verdict disqualifying 13 breakaway BSP MLAs who helped the Samajwadi Party form a Government in 2003.

In his two-page report sent on Saturday morning, Rajeswar is believed to have recommended dismissal of the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government and imposition of President's rule.
Â
Rajeswar has also expressed apprehension about possible horse-trading by the ruling coalition on February 26 when Yadav seeks a trust vote on the floor of the Assembly.
Â
Sources said Rajeswar's apprehension is based on rampant cross-voting by BJP, BSP and RLD MLAs on January 25 when Yadav proved his Government's majority on the floor of the House. Among the 223 legislators who had voted for Yadav's Government, there were 10 BJP, four BSP and three RLD MLAs who defied their party whip to vote.
Â
The Governor, in his report, is believed to have described in detail the developments along with the demand of different political parties, including the Congress, BJP, BSP and their views on the Supreme Court's ruling. Rajeswar spoke to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in this regard on Friday.

Meanwhile, Yadav has reiterated that he would welcome the dismissal of his Government by the Centre instead of stepping down from office.
Â
Addressing election rallies in Uttarakhand on Saturday, Yadav categorically said his Government enjoyed absolute majority in the Assembly and there was no question of his resignation. "If the Centre wants they can dismiss me," he added.
Â
Back in Lucknow, the Assembly is yet to notify the disqualification of the 13 MLAs as per the directions of the Supreme Court. Principal Secretary (Assembly) AN Mittal said the notification for disqualification of the 13 MLAs is yet to be issued as the Assembly Secretariat was still awaiting a certified copy of the Supreme Court's judgement.

The 13 MLAs have been disqualified with retrospective effect from August 27, 2003.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?m...t&counter_img=2
QUOTECong cracks whip, DMK falls in line
Yogesh Vajpeyi | New Delhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday finally succeeded in persuading DMK chief M Karunanidhi and LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan to go along with the UPA Government should the Congress press for the imposition of President's rule in Uttar Pradesh.

After telephonic conversations with Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the evening, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi announced in Chennai late in the evening that he would accept any decision by the Congress.

The announcement came as a shot in the arm for the Congress leaders pushing for imposing President's rule in UP, who had been disheartened by an earlier statement from DMK's spokesman TKS Elangovan in Chennai opposing the move.

As Karunanidhi announced the party's decision to go with whatever the Congress decides, a DMK press release made it clear that Elangovan's earlier statement was "not an official view of DMK".

After Sonia spoke to Paswan, the Union Minister said the Chief Minister should resign on his own on moral grounds and should not be given the opportunity to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly as it will lead to large-scale horse-trading.

"We are not opposed to imposition of President's rule", he said.

With Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD already supporting the move, the change of stand by the DMK has now left the Congress only the Left Front parties supporting the UPA Government to deal with.

The final decision about whether to invoke Article 356 of the Constitution for dismissing the Mulayam Singh Government despite the Left's opposition would now be taken at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Monday.

Congress sources said that after a consensus within the UPA, the Government could ignore the Left's opposition to misuse of Article 356 as it did in the case of Bihar three years back.

Armed with support from the Left Front, which provides critical outside support to the UPA Government, as well as AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and George Fernandes, UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, however, launched a counter-offensive.

Yadav threw the gauntlet at the Centre. "If the Centre wants to dismiss my Government, it may. However, I will not resign," he said at an election rally in Uttarakhand.
(Yadav giving the desperate talk of losers. Little lout has had his day.)

In Delhi, his younger brother and Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav asked the President not to sign the ordinance imposing President's rule even if the Union Cabinet sent such a recommendation.

He also demanded recall of UP Governor TV Rajeswar, alleging that the Governor was acting with "mala fide and motivated" political intentions for the dismissal of the State Government.

Earlier, CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat made it clear that his party was strongly opposed to imposition of President's rule in UP.

"The cure for a bad Government is not the imposition of Article 356," Karat told media persons after the two-day meeting of the party's Polit Bureau. "If there is any doubt or if any questions are raised, it must be tested on the floor of the House and the Raj Bhavan or Delhi cannot decide the matter," he maintained. He also asked for change of law to prevent misuse of Article 356.

However, when asked whether the Left Front would withdraw support to the UPA Government if its advice was not heeded, Karat merely said, "We hope that wiser counsel will prevail on the Manmohan Singh Government. We do not expect the Government that we support to indulge in the misuse of the Article 356, " he said.

The other constituents of the Left Front, including the CPI and the RSP are also opposing the move with similar vehemence. So is Sharad Pawar's NCP, which is miffed with the Congress for acting as a big brother within the UPA.

As the BJP has been demanding dismissal of his Government for quite sometime, apart from the Left parties, Mulayam is now finding support only from non-UPA parties like AIADMK and TDP.

TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has gone to the extent of endorsing the SP's demand for the recall of the UP Governor for his role in dislodging an elected Government.

However, Yadav got a boost of sorts when his friend and NDA convenor George also came out against imposition of President's rule in UP.

Addressing a Samata Party conference in Lucknow, Fernandes threatened a stir if the Mulayam Government was dismissed.Why is Mr George Fernandes supportive of Yadav? Fernandes is generally a sensible person isn't he? Or is he here merely having to make a choice between the devil (UPA imposing itself) and the deep blue sea (Laloo's continued lunacy)?

I second Rajesh_g's suggestion, BJP must make note of how Congress makes itself autocratic. Just like the evil Congress has taken the BJP party from power in Goa (and there was another occasion) - and now is poised to take out the UP govt - let the BJP act similarly when their time comes to ensure that their plans are not negated by criminal congress tactics. And the time will come.
Come what may, and regardless of whatever WienerSchnitzel and StFarmer have promised, and whatever the violent, lying commun(al)ists have up their sleeves, and what the US govt may have planned for Indian governance ('crown prince rapist Raoul Gandhi'). Some sincerely Hindu-friendly party will be elected to power and undo all the damage done (and do a lot of good too). And the losers can go home crying.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?m...t&counter_img=1
QUOTEWill President do it again?
Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi
Doing Bihar II in UP may be tough for Kalam

For a President who likes to keep off controversies, it will be a tough call for his conscience to give his seal of approval to any adventure by the Centre to invoke Article 356 of Constitution to dismiss the Mulayam Government. APJ Abdul Kalam would not have forgotten the Supreme Court's strictures of the manner of dismissal of Bihar Government three years ago at the advice of Governor Buta Singh.See, everyone knows Mr Abdul Kalam has a conscience. And everyone knows it's something that the Congress and its leading christotyrant don't have.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-19-2007

QUOTE(rajesh_g @ Feb 16 2007, 02:03 PM)http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/feb/16up.htm

Centre considering President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh

================

BJP should take lessons from Congress on how to rule ruthlessly.
[right][snapback]64518[/snapback][/right]


I think BJP should oppose imposition of president's rule.

Firstly, it is a matter of principle. Congress should not be allowed to misuse 356 whereever, even against mulayam. Supporting 356 in UP will appear hypocritical as this was the same reason that was used in Bihar.

Secondly, BJP will lose politically. If mulayam govt is dismissed, it will take some anger out of its pro-muslim behaviour. 6 months is a long time (and we can be sure that congress will not have elections before that) and people may forget how much muslims/jihadis were given room in UP.

A lot will depend on the punjab, utttakhand election results. If congress loses badly, they will impose president's rule so that BJP does not gain in UP. (I would not rule out a mulayam-congress pact to stop BJP. And ofcourse commies will help in any endevour to prevent BJP from getting to power).

So BJP should oppose 356 and I think George Fernandez is correct in this.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - ramana - 02-20-2007

When is the Punjab counting due?

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-20-2007

QUOTE(ramana @ Feb 20 2007, 04:24 AM)When is the Punjab counting due?
[right][snapback]64676[/snapback][/right]


Counting is on Feb 27th 07

----

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-20-2007

Period of uncertainty -Arun Nehru
QUOTEIt is time for a little political astrology. We have had several opinion polls - none of which should be taken lightly - that give us an indication for the future. Most of these polls, however, have an error margin of 20 per cent and can never be wrong! I will hesitate to give a firm view at this stage on future numbers, and while the Congress has the advantage of a "broad" approach to attract other coalition partners on a "secular" agenda, it has made the mistake of minority appeasement for vote-bank politics. Reservations, allocation of funds and resources, and a soft approach towards terrorism in the North-East and the Mohammed Afzal case are issues that agitate a vast majority of citizens in the country.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-21-2007

BJP should insist that UP govt be dismissed using Article 355 of the constitution for breakdown of law and order. 356 is for failure of constitutional machinery.

QUOTEBJP steps into Congress trap

Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi

With cracks developing within the NDA on backing the Congress move to impose President's rule in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party may have stuck its neck out too far in rallying behind the sack-Mulayam exercise.

By throwing its weight behind the Congress, which always treated it as untouchable, the BJP leadership stands to make a major compromise with its main political adversary in justifying an act which, in the eyes of most constitutional and legal experts, is "immoral, unethical and unconstitutional." 

The BJP's political campaign against the Mulayam Government and its sustained demand for its dismissal may have come handy for the Congress to exploit the situation to suit its own politics of vendetta. But by allowing the Congress to dictate terms, the BJP might have fallen into a well-laid trap.

Political observers feel that the BJP leaders should not allow the Congress to justify its moral-posturing, which is driven solely by Congress president Sonia Gandhi's personal dislike of Mulayam Singh and the party's grim electoral prospects in UP in case of timely election.

Observers feel that the BJP should embarrass the Congress by asking it to tender an apology to the people of UP for extending support to the Mulayam Government when it was all along propped by the same defectors, who have now been disqualified by the Supreme Court.

Observors feel that the BJP is also not paying heed to apprehensions that the Congress might delay the UP election to influence the presidential polls and try to improve its own electoral chances by time-tested design of running a proxy administration through the Raj Bhavan. On several occasions when the Congress imposed President's rule in any State, it went in for a major bureaucratic reshuffle and brought in pliant officers to execute its political design.
Observors feel that by aligning itself with the Congress to dismiss the Mulayam Government, the BJP could risk the prospect of sharing a possible judicial reprimand in case if the decision was challenged in the Supreme Court. (lets see if BJP has enough sense to hear these observers) There is a near unanimity among legal and constitutional experts that the decision would be struck down by the courts. Legal luminaries like PN Lekhi, Rajeev Dhavan, Harish Salve and Subhash Kashyap have only questioned the propriety of any such Central intervention and argued that Mulayam Singh Yadav should be allowed to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly.

Observers feel that the BJP must provide conditional support to the UPA Government in its sack-Mulayam move. The party must ask the Government to specify a time-frame for holding the Assembly election, and insist that it should be taken into confidence on the specific ground cited for imposing President's rule. The party should also ask the Congress to commit that the Assembly election will take place before the presidential elections.

Observers feel that without satisfying itself on the legal ground for dismissal, the BJP was making a big mistake in offering support to the Congress. Unless the party was satisfied that grounds cited for dismissal are legally tenable and the Congress was not going to delay the Assembly poll, the BJP should desist from such support, observers feel.

Obsevers also feel that the Congress treated the BJP as pariah when the NDA sought dismissal of Lalu Government in Bihar over complete breakdown of law and order in the State. In fact, the Congress refusal to support the ratification of the President's rule in Bihar led to revival of the Rabri Devi Government in 1998. At that time, the NDA had imposed President's rule after Sonia Gandhi herself advocated the need for such a move during a visit to Jehanabad in the wake of massacre of Dalits.

"Congress can't have the cake and eat it too," said a political observer. "The best way the BJP could extricate itself from the messy position would be to ask the Congress leadership to discuss the UP issue threadbare with it before imposing President's rule. Since the Congress needed BJP support in Parliament for ratification of the President's rule, Sonia Gandhi would have to decide whether she would sack Mulayam at the political cost of being seen as directly colluding with the BJP.

Observers feel that the BJP could go back on its demand for imposition of President's rule only at a heavy political cost as it would be seen helping Mulayam Singh Yadav. But, at the same time, while providing support to the Congress, the BJP should try to protect both its image as a party that has always criticised the Congress for misuse of Article 356, and also ensure that the Congress did not use the opportunity to revive itself in UP.

Sources said that there was no detailed discussion within the BJP on UP situation after the Supreme Court disqualified 13 breakaway BSP MLAs, and the party leadership acted under the misconception that the Congress was not serious about dismissing Mulayam Government.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-21-2007

UP polls to be held in seven phases from April 7
The dates announced are April 7, 13, 18, 23, 28 and May 3 and 8.
QUOTEReplicating the Bihar model, the Election Commission on Wednesday announced seven phase schedule for the UP Assembly elections. The first phase of polling will be held from April 4 to May 8 with the counting of votes for all the 403 seats slated on May 11.
.............

The third phase (57 seats) of the poll will be notified on March 23, last date of filing nominations on March 30 and the polling to be held on April 18. Similarly, notification for the fourth phase (57 seats) will be on March 28. Last date of filing nominations on April 4 and polling slated for April 23.

During the fifth phase, to be notified on April 3, polling will be held for 58 seats. The notification will be issued on April 3, last date of filing nominations April 10 and polling to be held on April 28. The sixth phase (52 seats) and seventh phase (59 seats) notifications will be issued on April 5 and 13. Polling will take place on May 3 and 8 respectively.

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-21-2007

 President's rule in UP unlikely: sources

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-21-2007

Uttaranchal Congress may be voted outQUOTEThe HT-CNN/IBN exit poll conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), suggests that while there is no anti-incumbency wave, there are clear indications of transfer of power.

We estimate that with 33 to 39 seats, the BJP will get a clear majority or nearly so in the new assembly. The state assembly has 70 seats, of which 69 went to polls on Tuesday.

The Congress is likely to reach a respectable tally of between 21 to 27 seats, but well short of a chance of forming the government.
..................

A total ofÂ 4282 voters were interviewed in 32 assembly constituencies spread across the state in this exit poll.

No anti-incumbency wave then why change of power?

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-21-2007

QUOTESP withdraws support to UPA Govt 
Agencies | Lucknow
In a significant decision, Samajwadi Party today withdrew its support to the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

The decision to withdraw the "outside" support in the wake of Congress' efforts to impose President's rule in Uttar Pradesh was announced by Chief Minister and party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at a meeting of senior party leaders and workers here.Â

UP, Gujarat, UT, Punjab- Election 2007 - Guest - 02-22-2007

Post 98:
QUOTE(Mudy @ Feb 21 2007, 01:53 PM)No anti-incumbency wave then why change of power?
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Mudyji, Yogendra Yadav works for CSDS and has written that piece. That is why.

QUOTESanjay Kumar, Rajeeva Karandikar and Yogendra Yadav
New Delhi, February 21, 2007