My statement on president's rule in UP has been twisted: Jaiswal

New Delhi -  Clarifying his statement after it had created a political storm, Congress leader Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday said his statement suggesting president's rule in Uttar Pradesh has been twisted.

"Why should a leader of a party that is going to win in Uttar Pradesh say something like that? My statement was twisted," Jaiswal told media here.

"I was only explaining the constitutional reality, in case the Congress fails to get a majority as we are surely going to be the single largest party," he added.

Earlier, criticizing Jaiswal's statement, BJP leader Kalraj Mishra said that the remarks of Jaiswal posed a threat to democracy in the country.

"This is an act of threatening people which is harmful for maintaining the sanctity of democracy. I would say that such kind of statements is the violation of the Model Code of Conduct," said Mishra.

Mishra also said that such statements of various Congress leaders depict that the party was disillusioned with the trend as it is unlikely that they would be voted to power.

"This statement also depicts that the Congress party is in a state of depression and is disillusioned. The Congress general secretary (Rahul Gandhi) has been widely campaigning in Uttar Pradesh, be it by

abusing or criticizing others to attract the attention of the voters in Uttar Pradesh but the people of the state have not paid heed to any of his remarks and his work and have discarded him as well," added

Mishra.

BJP leader Uma Bharti said: "I condemn the statement made by Congress that it is going for president's rule in UP. Such statements are undemocratic and not an announcement, but a threat."

"I appeal to the people not to vote for the Congress, as the party does not understand the importance of their votes," Bharti told media in Charkhari.

Earlier, Jaiswal had said that if his party fails to get a majority in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, it would seek imposition of president's rule in the state.

"If Congress gets a majority, then it will form the government...if some seats are short then there is no option other than president's rule," Jaiswal told media in Kanpur.

The Uttar Pradesh polls are being viewed as an opportunity for major political parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.
 
A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections.