Rediff On The NeT: Kalyan Singh moves in but Pal refuses to vacate


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February 23, 1998

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Kalyan Singh moves in but Pal refuses to vacate

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Utter confusion prevailed in Uttar Pradesh secretariat on Monday with Kalyan Singh assuming charge as chief minister following the high court order and Jagdambika Pal refusing to quit the office.

While Pal is occupying the chief minister's room at the secretariat annexe, Kalyan Singh is sitting in the cabinet room. The fifth floor of the annexe is virtually divided between the rival camps. Governor Romesh Bhandari was not available for any comment on the situation.

Even as the order was announced in the open court and a copy duly received by the state's law secretary as well as secretary to the UP governor, Pal maintained, "I have no official communication about the court order." He said, "The state's principal home secretary simply came to me with a copy of some letter sent by an advocate and I do not have to take any cognisance of it."

The principal secretary (home) Rajiv Ratan Shah has read out to Pal the order of the high court conveyed by the chief standing counsel and authenticated by the state law secretary.

However, Pal is adamant on not leaving the chief minister's room unless he gets an official word from the governor. "I am the chief minister of the state duly appointed through an official notification of the governor, and unless the governor issues a fresh notification appointing Kalyan Singh as chief minister, he has no locus standi to come and claim right to this office," he roared. "My special leave petition that was filed earlier in the evening, is being heard from 9 pm by a special bench of the Supreme Court, and I will stay put until I hear something from there."

While Pal maintained that he had, so far, not received any communication from the governor, Bhandari told this correspondent: "I have asked the chief secretary to implement the court order in consultation with the law secretary, even though it is purely an interim order."

Bhandari looked more concerned about the fact that the court had not quashed his order, dismissing the Kalyan Singh government. "You see, the whole issue will be decided in due course, but so far my order has not been struck down," he pointed out triumphantly.

Former and present ministers from both the camps were present in the annexe. Total confusion prevailed in the bureaucracy and the officers were at a loss to tackle the situation.

The annexe road was totally blocked with cars sporting the official red and blue lights and the supporters of Pal and Kalyan Singh milling around.

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