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Shahid K Abbas in New Delhi
The entire opposition led by the Samajwadi Party on Thursday staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha after expressing "serious discontent" over the reply of Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani on the political crisis in Uttar Pradesh.
Replying to a debate, Advani had expressed his constitutional limitations to serve any directives to the state Governor Vishnukant Shastri to convene a special session of the assembly for Chief Minister Mayawati to prove her majority.
"It would not be in the spirit of the provisions of the Constitution or the Sarkaria Commission's recommendations or some of the recent judgments of the Supreme Court, particularly the famous S R Bommai case, for me to serve any directives to the state governor," he said.
Referring to the discussion in the House over the last two days, Advani wondered if it was proper for the opposition and the ruling party members to debate the performance of a state government, especially when there was no President's rule in Uttar Pradesh.
Advani said he would rally his reply only around the provisions of the Constitution. He expressed serious concern about what he claimed was a "strong criticism" of the state governor, who was only "acting within the purview" of the Constitution.
Recalling various Supreme Court judgments, Advani argued, "The Supreme Court was categorical in asserting that the Centre had no right to serve any directive to the state governor."
Taking serious exception to Advani's response, Mulayam Singh Yadav, before leading his party's walkout, said, "We had submitted a signed list of 204 MLAs, which included a number of independents and Apna Dal members among others and yet the deputy prime minister is insisting that the governor would do what he feels fit under the circumstances."
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