Akali Dal President and Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, who is in the city to participate in the MDMK's Anna Renaissance rally tomorrow, said, ``My party is opposed to the use of Article 356 against any duly elected government as my government had faced its use a number of times''.

He was replying to a question on his party's stand on use of the constitutional provision against the Rabri Devi Government in Bihar.

Badal expressed the hope that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Government would consult its coalition partners on the dismissal of the Bihar government and said the Dal would spell out its stand, ``as we have always done.''

Badal's remarks assume significance in the wake of demands by the BJP and Samata Party, constituents of the ruling coalition, for the RJDGovernment's ouster.

The CM asserted that the Akali Dal, which opposed the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar from the proposed Uttaranchal State, would not create a situation detrimental to the BJP-led Government at the Centre and help the Congress, ``Enemy number one of the country,'' seize power.

The Akali Dal would not ``create any situation'' enabling the Congress to form an alternative Government at the Centre, he added.

Stating that the Centre had not taken a final decision on the Uttaranchal issue, he however, made it clear the party would stoutly oppose the Centre going ahead with its present proposal. ``But the BJP is our sincere friend'', he added.

Badal was all praise for the BJP Government's performance, saying, ``They are doing well, after the teething troubles... on almost all fronts, they are improving''.

After 45 years of Congress misrule, it was difficult for the present government to ``set things right in a short period'', he added. While Badal admitted there were problems in theruling coalition, he played down the friction, saying, ``It is but natural when there are so many parties in the coalition''. He added that the Government, ``will have to reckon with such problems'' and that they would be sorted out.

He added, ``Our idea is that the new Government should act according to the wishes of the people''.

Parrying a query on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's announcement that he would support the BJP Government if the BJP proved its secular credentials, Badal said, ``this is not for me to say''.

Welcoming PMK leader S Ramadoss's call for a meeting of the co-ordination committee to, ``avoid acrimony among the alliance partners'', he said the allies, instead of rushing to the Press with their differences, ``should discuss the issues within four walls''.