Trouble appears to be brewing for the beleaguered Mulayam Singh Yadav government with the Centre reportedly considering the option of imposing President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh.
Senior Congress leader and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday held discussions with Prakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist -- which is virtually Mulayam Singh's lone supporter in the United Progressive Alliance -- in the wake of the Supreme Court's disqualification of 13 defecting Bahujan Samaj Party legislators supporting the chief minister.
Sources said Karat made plain his party's opposition to such a proposal when he told Mukherjee that Mulayam Singh had demonstrated the majority of his government on the floor of the House on January 25 and that the Assembly was the only venue where this majority can be put to the test.
Senior Congress leaders and ministers, including Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Defence Minister A K Antony and political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel, held discussions on the issue.
While a report from Governor T V Rajeshwar may come to the Centre, highly-placed Congress sources said that all pros and cons of the situation are being deliberated.
The sources said the move was at an exploratory stage and consultations were on with other allies in an attempt to bring about a consensus on Uttar Pradesh.
Another worry in Congress circles was that if the Centre failed to act fast, the chief minister could spring a surprise by resigning to remain a caretaker till polls are over.
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