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President cannot remain a spectator, says Vajpayee

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former prime minister A B Vajpayee today urged the President to exercise his "inherent constitutional powers" and direct the prime minister, in writing, to recall Uttar Pradesh governor Romesh Bhandari.

Talking to reporters after his 30-minute meeting with President K R Narayanan, Vajpayee said if the cabinet does not agree with the President's directive, the former can write to the prime minister once again.

Expressing confidence that the President will take "appropriate action", the BJP leader conveyed to the President that the continuation of Bhandari as governor was not good for Uttar Pradesh. His actions were rejected by the high court as "unconstitutional" and today the Supreme Court had endorsed the judgment of the Allahabad high court.

It is not necessary for the President to wait for the cabinet recommendation to recall the governor. Only a consultation with the prime minister was sufficient, the BJP leader said.

Vajpayee pointed out to the President that with the continuation of the governor, the UP machinery cannot function as per the Constitution. The general administration can't function normally. He said the situation at present was "abnormal". There is a caretaker government and the cabinet is not meeting. The Gujarat case has been pending for more than a month. The governor had recommended dissolution of the state assembly but the cabinet took no decision, he pointed out.

Vajpayee said in the event of an emergency, the President could not remain a mere 'spectator'. He recalled the oath taken by the President at the time of assuming office that '...he will defend and preserve the Constitution to the best of his ability'. The UP governor's action was "unprecedented" that too when elections were on.

Without naming Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav directly, Vajpayee said there was a faction in the Union cabinet which wants that the UP elections be directed in a particular manner. Under these circumstances, the President should use his inherent constitutional powers, the BJP leader emphasised.

Vajpayee welcomed the Supreme Court's decision which declined to stay the Allahabad high court's decision while directing the convening of a special session of the state assembly on February 26.

UNI

Elections '98

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