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Buta recommends President's rule in Bihar

     New Delhi: The Governor of Bihar, Buta Singh, today recommended for the imposition of President's Rule in Bihar, as no party or alliance of parties is in a position to form a stable government. The Cabinet committee is scheduled to meet on the issue later in the evening today. The Governor decided on President's rule as the state government's five-year term ends at midnight. Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan stuck to his original position of not extending his support to the RJD in government formation. Even the RJD conceded to have lost the battle while readying itself for the Central Rule. A close confidante of RJD chief Lalu Prasad admitted that no party in the state had the numbers to form a government. "We have the support of 92 members only, which is way below the magic figure of 122," the RJD MP said from Patna over phone on the condition of anonymity. On the other hand, the centre has asked the State Governor to submit a status report on the political and constitutional developments in Bihar.

     Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil has met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to discuss the latest political situation on Bihar. A meeting of the union cabinet is expected later in the evening which would pave the way for the President' Rule in the state. This would be the eighth occasion when President's Rule would be imposed in the state. It was first imposed in January 1968 and lasted for a month. In July 1969, President's rule was imposed again in the state. This time it lasted till January 1970. Thereafter it was imposed in early 1972 and continued till March that year. Then the state went under President Rule twice in 1977 and 1980. It was imposed again in 1995 after which Lalu Prasad Yadav, then belonging to the Janata Dal, took over. After a month of President's rule in 1999, Lalu's wife Rabri Devi became the Chief Minister of the state.

NDA welcomes President's rule in Bihar (Go To Top)

     Pune/New Delhi/Patna: The NDA, which emerged as the largest coalition in Bihar following elections last month, on Sunday favoured Central rule, even as the RJD staked its claim to form next government. State Governor Buta Singh has proposed President's rule in the state after no single coalition was able to muster a simple majority needed to form the government. The decision comes a few hours before the actual term of the previous assembly comes to an end on Monday. The state's ruling RJD emerged the single largest party with 75 seats but well short of a majority in the 243-member house. The opposition BJP-JD (U) combine has 92 members. BJP president Lal Krishna Advani said the imposition of President's rule would benefit Bihar, as it marks the end of RJD's rule of 15 years. "If there is President's rule in the state then this is an indication of the end of RJD's rule," Advani told a news conference in Pune.

     BJP's partner JD (U) also held a meeting in New Delhi and said it seemed certain that President's rule was in the offing. Nitish Kumar, president of JD (U), blamed Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) for imposition of Central rule. "We tried our level best to form a government in the state and continue to do it. But in the present scenario, LJP's role is crucial. And another thing is clear that with the imposition of President's rule, LJP's wish has come true. But Paswan's wish is not going to be long lasting as President's rule means Central government's rule," Kumar told reporters in New Delhi. LJP has a crucial 29 seats in the new assembly and its support is crucial for any alliance to form a government. The RJD also slammed LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan for the political stalemate in the state. "We have not held elections for President's rule rather for having a popular government. But sensing the attitude of Paswan, we see President's rule being imposed soon," said Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, senior leader of RJD in Patna. Meanwhile, Paswan continued with his staunch stand and vowed to form a secular government minus both RJD and BJP. "We are ready to form a government but our support is neither for the RJD nor the BJP. We are firm on our stance. We will from a government minus RJD and minus BJP it may take some time, but such a government will be formed," he told reporters in the state capital.

     Meanwhile, BJP activists burnt effigies of Paswan in Patna condemning his decision. India's ruling Congress party also indicated that President's rule was the last option in the state. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, senior Congress leader, said: "All efforts were made by the Congress party to make a secular alliance government. But after all the efforts and seeing all the alternatives when it was not possible then there is no other way than President's rule. It is only a proposal a decision will be taken on it later on. But if there is no other alternative then President's rule is the only outcome" he told reporters in New Delhi. President's rule was first imposed in the state in 1968, which lasted for a month. In 1969, President's rule was again imposed which lasted till January 1970. Lately, President' rule was imposed in the state in 1999 after which Rabri Devi, wife of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, became state chief minister.

Sankaracharya's brother Raghu arrested (Go To Top)

     Chennai: R Raghu, brother of junior Kancheepuram Sankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswathi was arrested today in the Radhakrishnan assault case. According to police sources, a memo of arrest was issued to him at the Central prison here, where Raghu was lodged after his arrest in the Sankararaman murder case on December 30 last. Raghu, in all probability, will be produced before a city magistrate on Monday for remand in the assault case. Senior Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi is a co-accused in the case, which is in connection with the attack on former Kanchi mutt associate Radhakrishnan, his wife and an attendant at his city residence on September 20, 2002. Raghu and mutt manager Sunderesa Iyer were also brought under the Goondas Act on January 22.

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