Chennai, July 26: BJP today rejected the opposition demand for imposition of President`s rule in Gujarat prior to assembly polls saying normalcy had returned to the state. "There is no need for president`s rule in Gujarat as normalcy has returned in the state," BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu told a press conference here. Rejecting demand for postponing assembly polls, he said, "The opposition has no moral courage to face the people and democracy cannot be suspended for this". The opposition, by their stand, was only "vitiating" the atmosphere in Gujarat, he added.
Naidu said three months ago, when Gujarat was under communal tension, the opposition demanded Chief Minister Narendra Modi`s ouster and fresh polls in the state.
It was surprising, he said, the opposition was not favouring polls now when the state was "free from communal clashes".
Denying BJP was "pressurising" the election commission for early polls, Naidu said he had called on the chief Election Commissioner at New Delhi recently to put forth his party`s views.
He was compelled to do so as other parties had called on the CEC requesting him not to hold polls in Gujarat, he said.
The BJP President said the Governor had accepted Gujarat cabinet`s recommendation for dissolution of assembly and as per Article 174 of the constitution, assembly had to meet within six months from date of last day of last session.

The EC has "no other way but to hold elections there", he said.

Bureau Report