Rediff

Varanasi, Mar 15: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday ruled out snap Lok Sabha elections before schedule early next year.

"At least, there will be no elections this year," Singh told reporters in Varanasi.

Asked if the Congress-led UPA at the Centre was preparing to hold elections ahead of schedule, the Prime Minister said "elections will be held as per schedule".

To a question if the this year's budgetary proposal for farm-loan waiver was made keeping in mind the polls, Singh said, it was not a populist decision which was taken keeping in mind the plight of poor peasants.

Asked about the Mayawati government's favouring creation of smaller states to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh, the prime minister said, the Centre would consider if a proposal to this effect came from the state government.

Replying to a question, Singh said the responsibility to implement Central schemes in states was of government's there and it was not proper to blame the Centre for their improper implementation.

To a query on the implementation of various Central development schemes in UP, he said "the situation is not satisfactory".

Earlier, Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur paid obeisance and performed rudrabhishek  at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Singh and his wife reached the temple at 18.15 hours  and performed 'rudrabhishek' for about half an hour, an official spokesman here said.

They have also shodashopachar  puja at the temple.

After performing the puja, the Prime Minister and his wife were given rudraksha  as prasad.

Later, Singh watched Ganga aarti  at Dashashwamedh Ghat.