NEW DELHI, SEPT 22: A day after Rabri Devi won the vote of trust, and more dramatically, a day after Laloo Yadav actually pleaded with the Prime Minister not to plumb any crisis, the Centre went ahead and recommended dismissal of the Rabri Devi government and imposition of President's Rule while putting the Bihar state Assembly in suspended animation.However, what started with a bang may not end so theatrically as indicated to the Congress delegation by President K R Narayanan when he assured that he would not take any hasty step on the Union Cabinet's recommendation.The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet which accepted the report of Governor Sundar Singh Bhandari who had also recommended dissolution of the Assembly, Home Minister L K Advani told media persons after a meeting with President K R Narayanan.Shortly after the Cabinet meeting, which lasted more than two hours, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee drove to Rashtrapati Bhawan accompanied by Advani and Defence MinisterGeorge Fernandes to convey him the Cabinet decision.Advani said the President told the delegation that he would go through the Governor's report and consult ``others'' before taking a decision on the Cabinet recommendation.The Home Minister, queried on the decision, said ``It was not just the law & order situation. The state seems to have withered away in Bihar.''He said though the Cabinet accepted ``in toto'' the Governor's report, it was only recommending that the Assembly be kept under suspended animation in view of the Supreme Court judgement in the S R Bommai case favouring such a course before dissolution.Meanwhile, reports say the President began consultations with legal experts on the developments. Former Attorney General Ashok Desai called on him to discuss the issue.Reactions to the fell decision came thick and fast. Bihar Chief Minister Rabari Devi threatened to go on a fast-unto-death before Raj Bhavan if her 14-month-old government was dismissed. The RLM declared a nation-wideagitation against the Centre.The Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha condemned the Centre's move on the recommendations of Bihar Governor S S Bhandari. After an emergency meeting of RLM MPs passed a resolution condemning the move, Morcha spokesman Amar Singh told the media in the presence of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Laloo that it had decided to defer its Rashtrapati Bhavan dharna to present its case much before their appointment scheduled for tomorrow.``The Centre's steps have proved that the ruling BJP was not only communal but authoritarian and fascist which has nothing to do with democracy'', Singh said.BJP: Hopes and fearsFor the BJP, sacking of the RJD govt is an important step towards consolidating itself in the politically crucial state of Bihar.HOPES Upper-caste base in Bihar, particularly Bhumihars who have lost land to Yadavs, will stop moving towards the Congress. Pro-Laloo bureaucrats will be weeded out and replaced with party faithfuls in time forelections. A win in Madhya Pradesh and gains in Bihar (hopes to win about 50 of the 81 seats in south Bihar) will blunt setbacks in New Delhi, Rajasthan and MizoramFEARS Consolidation of anti-BJP forces in Bihar, including Congress, Left and the RLM Portraying himself as the martyr, Laloo will play the Vananchal card, an issue that divides virtually every party in the state. President's Rule has to be ratified by the Rajya Sabha within two months. BJP and its allies don't have the numbers.
