Assembly dissolved for fresh Bihar polls

Supporters of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) burn an effigy of the governor of Bihar, Sardar Boota Singh in Patna yesterday in protest against the dissolution of the Bihar legislative assembly by the Federal Government in New Delhi. Terming the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly as constitutional fraud, the NDA sought the immediate dismissal of State Governor Buta Singh and the appointment of a neutral and non-political person to take his place and to hold fresh elections as soon as possible. PHOTO: AFP

The federal cabinet at its meeting here late Sunday night recommended dissolution of the state assembly and President A P J Abdul Kalam, who is now on an official visit to Moscow, has put his stamp of approval on the decision, Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil told reporters here.

The meeting of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took stock of the political situation in the wake of reports of an impending split in the 29-member legislature party of Lok Janashakti Party headed by India's Steel Minister Ramvilas Paswan and that majority of the rebellious MLAs would back a government in Bihar headed by BJP and its NDA ally Janata Dal (United).

Patil said the decision for fresh election in Bihar was taken after a report from state governor and senior Congress leader Buta Singh, who had alleged horse-trading in efforts to put together a government, and the federal government's assessment of the political situation in the state.

After the results of the election to the 243-member Bihar assembly, held in February and March this year, came out with no party or combination of parties securing a majority needed to form the government. As a result, the state was brought under federal rule in March.

Although Bihar strongman and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad's party emerged as the largest single party with 75 seats, it could not form government because Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), a key constituent of India's ruling United Progressive Alliance, had refused to support it.

The LJP has consistently said it is willing to support a non-RJD and non-BJP government in Bihar if it is headed by a Muslim Chief Minister and anyone outside the family of Laloo Prasad and his family. However, RJD rejected the LJP proposal. The RJD and LJP are bitter rivals in the fight for political turn in cast-ridden electoral scene of Bihar.

Paswan's policy of equi-distance from BJP and RJD was seen as a big stumbling block to ending the political deadlock in Bihar. With 29 MLAs, his party h ad come to be seen as holding the key to government formation in the state but with the dissolution of the assembly his dream of becoming a king-maker has come a cropper.

The BJP and JD (U) cried foul over the dissolution of the assembly terming it as a "murder of democracy" and a "shameless" act by the Congress-led federal government and threatened to resort to street protests against it.

But Congress, RJD and Left parties welcomed the decision for fresh polls saying there was no alternative to it, given the political situation in Bihar.

The decision for dissolution of Bihar assembly was taken after BJP and its allies, with the backing of 17 independent MLAs, had moved within striking distance of garnering majority with the help of LJP rebel legislators in the last two days.