New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS): The CPI-M on Tuesday expressed "strong disapproval" of the petition moved by the Central government in the Supreme Court to remove the status quo on the "non-disputed land", and said the status quo must be maintained.

In 1993, the Supreme Court had ordered that the status quo be maintained on 67 acres of land that had been acquired by the Centre. The Centre now claims that only 0.313 acres is actually disputed.

"This move by the Centre is clearly aimed at appeasing the Sangh Parivar which is demanding immediate construction of the temple at all cost. Obviously, all these moves are being orchestrated keeping the impending Lok Sabha elections in mind," the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) said in a statement.

It said the government wants to hand over this land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas that had been set up by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to undertake the construction of the Ram temple at the site.

"The CPI-M strongly condemns this devious effort to pre-empt the Supreme Court decision," it added.

The Government in a petition on Monday has asked the Supreme Court to allow it to hand over a part of the land near the disputed site in Ayodhya to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.