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Narayanan asks first time MPs to lobby for UF continuance

President K R Narayanan is understood to have asked a delegation of first time parliamentarians to impress upon their respective leaders the dangers of a Lok Sabha dissolution.

Sources said Narayanan appreciated the MPs's move to avoid a mid-term poll.

As many as 37 MPs, 15 from the Congress and the rest from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Haryana Vikas Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena met the President for nearly an hour.

Before marching to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the MPs held a meeting in the Parliament annexe and resolved to request Narayanan against dissolution of the Lok Sabha as they felt the country could ill-afford elections at this juncture.

Congressman T Subbirami Reddy and the Janata Dal's B R Reddy said they were not meeting the President at the instance of any party, particularly the BJP, and their participation in the march should not be considered as anti-party activity.

Meanwhile, sources said, the Congress is planning to serve notices on the MPs for meeting the President without the leadership's permission.

UNI

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