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New Delhi, Aug 19: The BJP today alleged that the UPA was distorting federal principles of governance by discriminating against states ruled by the opposition and non-Congress parties.
“Neither does the UPA government at the Centre work, nor does it allow state governments to do so in their respective states,” BJP leader Yashwant Sinha alleged at a briefing at the end of the conclave of BJP chief ministers. “The Congress …has no respect for federalism and treats states as subservient entities.”
Sinha claimed that despite the bias of the Centre, “whatever little growth is emanating is due to good governance in states ruled by the BJP/NDA and some non-Congress parties”.
The conclave was held here on Saturday. The chief ministers were giving the central leadership a brief on programmes in their respective states. Some of the states go into Assembly elections within a year.
“The feeling that I got from the chief ministers was one of complete despair about the manner of functioning of the UPA government,” said Sinha.
At the conclave, BJP chief ministers were critical of the Centre for “complete policy paralysis, previously unheard of scandals and collapsing economy”.
In a statement at the end of the conclave released today, the chief ministers demanded an “overhaul of the whole federal structure.” This should be done to ensure a fairer share of funds between the Centre and the states, discussions in the National Development Council and re-activation of the Inter State Council that has not met since 2006.
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