Bihar 8212; Statements and status quo

NEW DELHI, March 1: The fate of the Presidential proclamation on Bihar hangs in the balance with Railway Minister Nitish Kumar of the Sam...

NEW DELHI, March 1: The fate of the Presidential proclamation on Bihar hangs in the balance with Railway Minister Nitish Kumar of the Samata Party claiming today that the Cabinet was considering the idea of sending it for a judicial review and Union Power Minister R Kumaramangalam of the BJP insisting that all options were open, including withdrawing the proclamation without putting it to vote in the Rajya Sabha.

There were discordant voices in the Congress too with spokesperson Girija Vyas claiming the party wasn8217;t concerned about who would be the next Chief Minister of Bihar if the Centre revived the assembly even as CWC member Tariq Anwar said in a TV interview that the party believed the Rabri Devi government should resign owning moral responsibility.

8220;The Congress has nothing to do with who should be and who should not be the Chief Minister of Bihar. Our main concern is related to law and order and protecting the Dalits, equal rights for them and land reforms,8221; party spokesperson Girija Vyas toldreporters here.

She declined to comment on AICC general secretary Pranab Mukherjee8217;s reported statement on change of leadership in Bihar and said the decision on the issue rested with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.Asked if the party would put pressure on the Centre for tabling the motion on Bihar as passed by the Lok Sabha, she said the issue would be taken up in the Upper House automatically.

On the BJP8217;s decision to launch a 8220;betrayal8221; week from March 3 against the Congress voting on the statutory resolution on Bihar in the Lok Sabha, she said nobody would trust a party which had 8220;betrayed the nation8221; after assuring it on the floor of the House on the issue of Babri Masjid.Meanwhile, former Congress President Sitaram Kesri contradicted reports that he was negotiating with RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav.

8220;I had absolutely no talks with Laloo Prasad Yadav as reported. The report is concocted, false, malicious, mischievous and baseless. I contradict it,quot; he said in a statement.

Nitish Kumar said inPatna a final decision on tabling the proclamation in Rajya Sabha, where the ruling coalition was in a hopeless minority, also depended on the Union Cabinet.8220;A number of options are open to us. We will take our own time and make an appropriate decision at an appropriate moment,8221; he said, urging the Congress to reconsider its decision to oppose the proclamation.

Story continues below this ad

8220;Our government faces no crisis after having obtained an overwhelming support for President8217;s Rule in the Lok Sabha. The Congress stands exposed on the Dalit issue,8221; he told reporters here.Replying to a question, Kumar said he was not aware of the Telugu Desam Party putting pressure on the Centre for revocation of the Presidential proclamation and asserted the ruling formation was 8220;fully united8221;.On the Central move to replace Bihar Governor S S Bhandari with an 8220;apolitical administration8221;, Kumar said, 8220;when Advani did not stick to his decision, I have nothing to say.8221;

Expressing confidence about Om Prakash Chautala8217;s Indian National LokDal rejoining the ruling coalition, he said in his talks with Samata Party president George Fernandes, the INLD leader had endorsed the proposal for imposition of Central rule in Bihar.