New Delhi, Sept 23: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh today said that BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi should stick to his word of resignation from the Union cabinet in the wake of Rae Bareli court verdict which ordered framing of charges against him in the Babri demolition case. He told reporters here that Joshi should not have announced that he would resign in the event of the court framing charges against him. "Once he has done so, he should be firm on his word", Singh said.

"He (Joshi) should be firm on his word. Otherwise it would appear to be a political stunt," Singh said. He avoided a question on Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani being discharged from the case saying he would not like to make any statement on the court verdict and it was a matter between CBI and the accused.

Asked to comment on the Mulayam Singh-led government's stand on the temple movement, he said there was no need to react as the issue was of no consequence now. For the Uttar Pradesh government, maintenance of law and order was most important now, he added. "There is no life in the movement now and any reaction would only give new lease of life to it," Singh said.

He avoided questions on reported tussle in BJP saying it was their internal matter.

Bureau Report