Congress for President's Rule in Orissa

Congress on Sunday demanded that Orissa be brought under President's Rule to ensure free and fair polls in the wake of BJP withdrawing support to the BJD-led government in the state.

Congress on Sunday demanded that Orissa be brought under President's Rule to ensure free and fair polls in the wake of BJP withdrawing support to the BJD-led government in the state.

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Since BJP, a pre-election ally, has broken away from BJD it would be better that the next elections are held under President's Rule in the state, Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told PTI in New Delhi.

The Congress demand came even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was on Sunday directed by Governor M C Bhandare to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly on March 11 after his coalition government was reduced to a minority.

While BJD, headed by Neveen Patnaik, has 61 members in the 147-member assembly, it requires the support of 13 more legislators to achieve the magic figure of 74 for remaining in power.