Govt may delay tabling of Bihar resolution

While legal luminaries are busy analysing implications of the likely defeat of the Presidential Proclamation in Parliament, the Government expressed hope that it would weather the storm. It is now planning to delay the tabling of the Resolution for the passage in Parliament. It is said that the Government can delay it until May when the session comes to an end and buy time to save it from further disgrace.

The parliamentary and law ministriesare also examining the issues whether President8217;s rule stands automatically revoked and Rabri Government installed once the proclamation is defeated in Parliament or is there any other legal course available to wriggle out of the false bravado8217;.

It is felt that the Supreme Court judgement in the Bommai case had created a piquant situation which stipulated that a State Assembly cannot be dissolved unless President8217;s rule is rectified by Parliament. But the judgement is silent what would happen if the Proclamation is not rectified.

Though Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Kumaramangalam, flanked by three ministers of state attached to his ministry, had expressed confidence at his maiden press conference in the afternoon that the Bihar Proclamation would be through in Parliament without difficulty, there was gloom after the Congress Working Committee8217;s decision to oppose the motion in the evening.

Sources say one of the reasons that made the Congress to over-turn its decision on Bihar was to end theeuphoria being built for the past few days after Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee8217;s historic visit to Lahore.

Another reason for Congress president Sonia Gandhi to sharpen her attack on the Government in the recent past is BJP8217;s hidden agenda to attack her personally.8217; Though Doordarshan censored some of the references made against Sonia Gandhi by her estranged sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi who is a Union Minister of State in the Vajpayee Government, it is wondered how the DD deviated from its policy not to allow the medium to criticise anybody personally.

It is felt that the Government may use its machinery to malign her personally in the days to come despite soft-pedalling by the Prime Minister. The hardliners in the BJP have been saying in private that 8220;we have a lot of ammunition8221; against her and she should dare not do anything to dislodge the Government.

It would, however, be premature to say whether Sonia Gandhi is aiming to pull down the Vajpayee Government in the Budget session itself incollaboration with other like-minded parties in the Third Front and the RLM. But her decision to support Laloo Prasad Yadav at this juncture can trigger a series of political events.

The party-wise situation in the Rajya Sabha is such that only a miracle alone can save the Proclamation. The Telugu Desam is silent while the BSP and others are keeping their fingers crossed. The Indian National Lok Dal having 4 MPs in the Lok Sabha and one in the RS has already withdrawn support. Even if the BJP is able to motivate its allies to support in the Lok Sabha, a miracle alone can see the motion through in the Rajya Sabha.