'Cong's loss in few states doesn't warrant early polls'

The loss of a few states for Congress in the assembly elections does not warrant mid-term polls to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah said in Coimbatore on Friday.

"Some may win in elections and others lose. Congress losing in a few states does not mean that there should be mid-term polls for the Lok Sabha. United Progressive Alliance government is there with many parties," he said.

He was replying to a question on Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi's remarks that after the poll results Samajwadi Party and even Trinamool Congress would want to see a mid-term poll so that they "can increase their tally" in Parliament.

Asked for his response to attacks on some Dalits allegedly by Samajwadi Party workers during victory celebrations, he said vested interests always wish to create trouble during such times. "Simply blaming Mulayam Singh and his party for this and also terming it as return of Goonda Raj is not right," he said.

Asked if regional parties have become more powerful after SP's victory, Abdullah said such parties were always powerful.

However, they should work to strengthen the nation. "If India dies, will regional parties survive?" he said.

On Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant imbroglio and acute power shortage in Tamil Nadu, Abdullah said the Centre would extend all possible help for proper grid connectivity and also provide necessary funds to the state.

To a question on PDP President Mehbooba Mufti's charge of alleged misappropriation of Rs 50 crore from Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, of which he is president, Abdullah said "I do not know from where she got the figure. We are yet to arrive how much has been siphoned off and the finance committee is looking into it."