NEW DELHI, FEB 27: The National Democratic Alliance today ``unanimously'' decided to stake its claim to the Chief Minister's post in Bihar under the leadership of Union Agriculture Minister and senior Samata Party leader Nitish Kumar.Kumar is scheduled to leave for Patna tomorrow where he likely to be elected the leader of the alliance's legislature party.Having been outnumbered by the RJD, the NDA has now shifted its strategy to that of the-Governor-should-satisfy-himself-first argument. ``He should first convince himself of the strength of the rival sides by comparing their strengths in terms of the letters of support,'' remarked a senior leader.All eyes are now on the Bihar Governor Vinod Pande who is set to play the pivotal role in the Government formation. Going by one logic, Pande can call on the Laloo Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to form the State Government - but certainly he is not bound to do it. (The RJD-CPM combine has 124 seats compared to NDA's 123). Observers point out at the 1996 Uttar Pradesh elections when the BJP, even after emerging as the single largest party with 175 seats, failed to form the Government because the then Governor Romesh Bhandari recommended President's rule in the State.Governor Pande, disclose sources in the North Block, is now likely to consult legal and Constitutional experts - including Attorney General Soli Sorabjee - to fork a way out of the imbroglio.The decision to anoint the Agriculture Minister as the NDA's candidate for the CM's post was not an easy one. Railways Minister Ram Vilas Paswan till the very end remained opposed to his candidature, citing his role in preventing the JD (U)-Samata merger and his antipathy towards him in the run-up to the assembly elections. He instead supported the name of BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi or, as an alternative, Samata Party MP Manjay Lall, a Kushwaha by caste.It took three rounds of meeting of senior leaders of the BJP, Samata and the JD (U) and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's personal intervention which finally enabled them to clinch the matter in Kumar's favour. Normally a media-friendly leader, Paswan made his displeasure known by refusing to talk to the reporters at the end of the three-hour meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence tonight.``It was decided in the meeting that we should form the government in Bihar under the leadership of Nitish Kumar,'' Defence Minister George Fernandes told reporters, ``We have the numbers in our favour. A section of the independents, some other political parties and those candidates who had contested as rebels have agreed to support us.''Stuck at the crucial number game in Bihar, the NDA today initiated a string of brain-storming sessions of its top BJP, Samata and JD(U) leaders, the first one taking place at Union Home Minister L.K. Advani's house in the morning. By late evening, however, the focus shifted to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's residence.To make matters worse for the Congress, a section of its Bihar unit has declared that they won't have any truck with the RJD. This has come as a major stumbling block for Sonia Gandhi to extend a helping hand to Laloo. Nevertheless, a hopeful Laloo, it is learnt, is expected to fly soon to New Delhi and meet Sonia.
