Bangaru says BJP okay with President's Rule in Bengal

Bangaru says BJP okay with President's Rule in Bengal
SABYASACHI BANDOPADHYAY

MIDNAPORE, SEPT 23: BJP president Bangaru Laxman on Saturday said that if the Congress gave its support, his party had no objection in imposing President's rule in the state.

``It's the Congress which has got the key,'' Laxman said today. ``We don't have the required majority in the Rajya Sabha, so it's the Congress which can help us get the proclamation on Article 356 passed in the upper house.

The situation in the state is grim and Central intervention is needed to restore the rule of law. President's rule can be imposed if the NDA endorses it and the Congress gives support,'' he said.

Laxman was addressing a press conference at the end of his day-long visit to villages in the violence-torn Midnapore district. Earlier after taking over as party president, Laxman had said that imposition of President's rule in West Bengal was not possible.

Laxman, who arrived last night, set out for Midnapore in the morning. He was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Telecommunication Tapan Sikder, state president Ashim Ghosh, senior vice-president Muzzaffar Khan and other state BJP leaders.

After delivering a speech at Debra, Laxman set out visiting a few camps at village Paschim Lahana, where hundreds of BJP-Trinamool Congress supporters uprooted from their villages at Keshpur recently were camping.

Displaced villagers jumped at Laxman's feet, and narrated their miseries. ``We are not safe even here as the CPI(M) workers are firing at us from across the river every day,'' a woman told Laxman. ``They are killing us and looting our property. We have become paupers,'' she said.

At the public meeting in Debra and at the rally in Midnapore, the president heavily criticised the state government, saying it had not only failed to maintain law and order but had also not been able to provide good motorable roads to the people.

``I will submit my report to the government. It's for them to take action,'' Laxman said. ``We are part of the NDA and we can't take any decision alone. I believe if the Congress supports us, we will be able to convince the other partners to impose President's rule in the state,'' he said.

At the public meeting in Midnapore, Sikder said that if the CPI(M) continued its violence the TMC-BJP combine should not sit quiet. ``If they attack you, take up arms and hit back,'' Sikder said. ``Finish them off, we will give you all help,'' he said.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Chief Minister Jyoti Basu had said at a Left Front rally that the CPI(M) would hit back if it was attacked by the TMC-BJP.

Laxman criticised Chief Minister Jyoti Basu for using ``indecent'' language against Home Minister Advani and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.