Politicians who missed the opportunity to rule Bihar are crying foul over the imposition of President’s rule but the ‘man on the street’ is not particularly concerned. If any thing, there is a tangible support for the President’s rule—in several places in the town, already there’s graffiti welcoming it.Though every one has a different understanding of the President’s rule—a driver says he will now carry the papers of his vehicle—hardly anyone except the MLAs is crying over the absence of a ‘‘popular government.’’ Seventy-four per cent of those surveyed by a newspaper supported President’s rule. ‘‘On the EVM, there should be an option for President’s rule,’’ says a Patna shopowner.Even before the state was officially placed under President’s rule, those who controlled the state for 15 years have become dormant.At 1, Anne Marg, the residence of Laloo Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, there was no queue of people; at the houses of ministers there were hardly any visitors. The chief secretary has recalled files from all ministers and the ministers have been given three months to vacate their houses. At the sprawling bungalows that the chief minister’s brothers-in-law, Subash and Sadhu Yadav, have been occupying illegally, there was no rush of favour-seekers. Power seems to have suddenly shifted to the Raj Bhavan, just 100 meters away.‘‘It is all part of politics,’’ says Upendra Prasad Verma, the minister for cooperatives, who has lost his red-beaconed car after 15 years. ‘‘I am looking for a house to stay,’’ he says.But ministers, who have converted their official houses into farms—with horses, cows and crops—will find it difficult to move out. Laloo-Rabri and Ramai Ram, for instance, have dozens of cattleheads.‘‘Now the Centre will learn it themselves,’’ says Jagadand, another three-term-minister. ‘‘We have been accused of not doing development work. But nobody tried to understand the problems that Bihar has been facing,’’ the RJD leader, well-versed in matters of governance unlike several of his colleagues, says.In the bureaucracy, there has been speculation about the advisors to the Governor who will play very crucial role in the Central rule. RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav’s handpicked officers at different levels spent a nervous day guessing what next.Ram Vilas Paswan, who the NDA and the RJD blamed for the President’s rule, was not a bit defensive today and, in fact, appeared buoyant after receiving congratulatory calls from many. He accepted the responsibility for the Central rule and took credit for it. ‘‘Laloo’s rule has finally ended. Central rule is better than no rule. And the Centre must now clean up Bihar without listening to Laloo or Ram Vilas. Now, it is the reputation of the Central government that is at stake,’’ he said.Laloo had not been prepared for life without power. ‘‘He has been ruling as if it will never end. Subash and Sadhu will not be able to pay their electricity dues if someone actually insists on it—forget all other troubles,’’ says an outgoing minister.
