Withdraw dist move: Cong

In what may add to Mulayam Singh Yadav8217;s problems, ally Congress has joined the mounting protests in Uttar Pradesh against his decision...

In what may add to Mulayam Singh Yadav8217;s problems, ally Congress has joined the mounting protests in Uttar Pradesh against his decision to abolish nine districts and four divisional headquarters.

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Jagdambika Pal today demanded that Mulayam immediately quash the decision and complained that it had not been consulted in the matter despite being a partner.

The party held a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Noida today and similar demonstrations are planned against the decision at all district headquarters tomorrow, which has been dubbed 8216;Chetavni Divas8217;, or Day of Warning, by the Congress.

8216;8216;We will highlight the autocratic decision of the CM8230;He should not only back out from the decision but also explain why four districts which are strongholds of either Mulayam8217;s Samajwadi Party or Ajit Singh8217;s Rashtriya Lok Dal have been left out of the move,8217;8217; Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh said.

The party also attacked the Mulayam government on the sugarcane issue, saying he had betrayed the Congress trust in extending support to him hoping he would address issues concerning farmers and other sections of the society.

8216;8216;The Mulayam government has not fulfilled its promises on cane dues, supply of power in rural areas, law and order as well as secularism,8217;8217; Pal said.

Meanwhile, nearly 30 BJP MPs and over 70 party legislators today submitted a memorandum to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri pressing for immediate withdrawal of the decision to abolish the districts. 8216;8216;The Mulayam government has flouted all norms and did not even consult the MPs and MLAs belonging to the affected districts,8217;8217; reads the memorandum.

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Directives have reportedly gone out to party units in affected districts to step up protests. The party is obviously trying to get political mileage out of the issue ahead of the coming Lok sabha elections as the abolished districts and divisions together account for nearly 20 parliamentary seats.

8216;8216;Mulayam has a history of facing bloody violence all over the state whenever he assumes command and this time is no different. The government has decided to scrap the districts to divert attention of the people from its failure on all fronts,8217;8217; state BJP chief Vinay Katiyar said.

Chief Secretary V.K. Diwan held meetings with senior officials this afternoon to decide on the measures to be taken in the districts, while Principal Secretary Finance Naveen Chand Bajpai has issued instructions to freeze all accounts here to ensure that funds are not misused.

The decision was taken following reports that in some abolished districts the officials in league with contractors had siphoned off money on backdated entries on projects which were yet to assume shape.