Bhandari dines with PM amp; stomachs embarassment

With the four-day-long drama 8220;resolved amicably,8221; the Samata Party, the BJP8217;s ally in Bihar, welcomed his decision to stay on. Spokesperson Jaya Jaitley said her party had no objection to Bhandari being the Constitutional head of the State and made it clear that it was not putting any pressure for his replacement.

8220;The proposal had come from the Home Minister Advani and we had simply said it was a good idea that a Governor should beapolitical,8221; she explained.

She said whoever was the Governor, the party wants the balance of social justice be maintained in matters of transfer of officials.

Senior Samata Party leader and Union Railways Minister Nitish Kumar, in the meanwhile, demanded the dissolution of the Bihar assembly and the holding of elections at the earliest.

Advani rang up Bhandari this morning to apologise for the remarks which had so 8220;embarrassed and upset8221; the veteran RSS leader. In a statement issued later in the day, Advani remarked: 8220;I spoke to Shri Bhandari this morning and conveyed to him the Government8217;s desire that he should continue as the Governor of Bihar.8221;

8220;My reference to the possibility of an apolitical administration8217; for the state during the President8217;s rule had created an unfortunate misunderstanding,8221; he added.

According to Advani, his statement had no relation whatsoever to the abilities and administrative competence of Shri Bhandari ji 8220;who is one of the ablest leaders of the country, heldin high esteem by all because of his simplicity and integrity.8221;

The issue, according to him, had now been sorted out. 8220;The Prime Minister has requested him to attend the National Development Council meeting as the representative of Bihar. Shri Bhandari ji has agreed to attend,8221; Advani further pointed out. With the issue being resolved, Bhandari attended the NDC meeting alongwith a retinue of officials, satisfied with the explanation offered to him by Advani.

Signs that he would continue as the Governor of Bihar had started emerging yesterday only. Speaking to reporters, he had said that he continue to be the Constitutional head of the state and that the officials were in regular touch with him to seek his advice. He had also defended the transfers in the state bureaucracy.

He is learnt to have told people close to him that he would go back to Bihar only on the request of the RSS as it was on its intervention that he agreed to accept the Governor8217;s post in the first place. RSS general secretary H VSeshadri rang him up again yesterday and urged him to meet Vajpayee over dinner at which meeting the Vajpayee apparently persuaded him to continue pending Advani8217;s personal and public sorry8217;.