RAE BARELI: Stepping up confrontation with Sonia Gandhi, the Mayawati government decided to clamp prohibitory orders in Rae Bareli in an apparent bid to prevent the Congress president from addressing a rally in her Lok Sabha constituency.

The move by the District Administration in the Gandhi-Mayawati battle for the political turf of Uttar Pradesh came hours after the Allahabad High Court virtually stayed the state government's decision canceling the land allotment for a railway project in Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituency here.

Following the Administration decision, Gandhi cancelled her plans for the rally at Lalganj but would go ahead with her tour of the Rae Bareli constituency, according to UPCC Spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh. Gandhi however decided to proceed to Lalganj and inspect the Lifeline express train, he said.

"We have decided to impose prohibitory order under Section 144 Cr.PC," District Magistrate Santosh Srivastav told PTI. Though the District Administration claimed there was no politics in issuing the order, a Congress leader said it was aimed at preventing Gandhi's rally in Rae Bareli.

"Prohibitory orders were in place ever since October five in view of Id and Dussehra festivals and the same have now been extended in view of ensuing festivals of Deepawali and Bhaiyya Dooj till October 30", ADM (Administration) Rae Bareli BL Verma told PTI.

Dismissing suggestions that the decision to extend the prohibitory order had any connection with the proposed Congress rally tomorrow, Verma asserted that it was purely an administrative decision to maintain law and order.

Verma said the party had communicated its decision canceling the rally and provided a revised programme to the District Administration.