NEW DELHI, FEB 23: Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Atal Behari Vajpayee, who called off his fast unto death in the presence of former president R Venkataraman here today, said the Allahabad High Court verdict reinstating Kalyan Singh as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was a ``well-deserved slap on the face'' of state Governor Romesh Bhandari.Talking to mediapersons after ending his indefinite fast, Vajpayee said ``a diabolic conspiracy to affect the course of elections has been defeated.''
Asked whether Kalyan Singh was in a position to prove his majority in the Assembly, Vajpayee said ``the fact that Kalyan Singh has come back as the chief minister vindicates our stand. We will consider the situation and decide our next course of action.''
Vajpayee said what had happened in Lucknow during the past two days had surpassed all limits and even beat the Emergency in 1975 which ``we had called an aberration.''
``But what could happen if an emergency situation arises and what would thepresident do as he has to abide by cabinet decisions in such matters,'' he said.
Indirectly referring to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said ``the entire exercise to harm democracy and unseat Kalyan Singh was done with the sole intention of helping an individual to win a seat in the Lok Sabha.'' He refused to name Mulayam Singh despite being repeatedly asked to name the person saying ``you all know him.'' ``Till now, stability was the only plank. But now another major plank has been added to it - that is saving and strengthening democracy,'' Vajpayee said.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
