Rajnath idea of all-party govt finds no takers

Rajnath idea of all-party govt finds no takers
R.B.SINGH

LUCKNOW, MARCH 28: There seem to be no takers for the all-party government idea floated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday. Rejecting the proposal, the three major parties of the state -- the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party -- said they could not even imagine to form a government with inside or outside support of parties like the BJP.

Apparently in a bid to hit back at the Opposition which had demanded in the Assembly for his government to step down after the killings of Muslims in Kanpur and Dalits in Mirzapur, Rajnath had announced that he was ready to do anything to maintain law and order in the state -- even form an all-party government.

Floating the proposal, Rajnath had said if the Opposition was ready he wouldimmediately seek permission from the party's high command.``I am readyfor any sacrifice for peace and harmony in the state,'' he had said.

Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari described Rajnath'soffer as an attempt to prevent a possible mass exodus from the BJP. He claimed that many of the BJP and its allied parties' MLAs were all set to desert the government which he called a ``sinking ship.''

Recently, senior Congress leader Surendra Nath Awasthi had not only resigned from the party but had also vacated his seat for Rajnath. Rajnath is contesting from his Haidergarh seat where election is scheduled for April 7. However, Tiwari said no more of his party MLAs would now fall prey to Rajnath's gimmicks.

Leader of the Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha and SP leader Dhani Ram Vermasaid there was no question of joining or supporting a corrupt, inefficient, anti-farmer, anti-employees and anti-student BJP-led government.

BSP leader in the Vidhan Sabha Swami Prasad Maurya expressed similar views. He said Rajnath was only trying to cover up the failure of his government by coming up with such offers.