PATNA, Dec 4: Besides the usual questions of caste, land reforms and politics, the Lakshmanpur-Bathe carnage has raised what is perhaps the most crucial question now: Who rules Bihar?Chief Minister Rabri Devi, her jailed husband Laloo Prasad Yadav or Governor A R Kidwai?Consider these:* President K R Narayanan's decision to seek a report from the Governor on the law and order situation has given rise to speculation that Kidwai may be playing a more active role in the state than is expected of a mere titular head.* However, when Prime Minister I K Gujral's emissary, Union Minister Maqbool Dar, walked into the BMP camp jail here to discuss the situation with Laloo before returning to Delhi, many felt that it was the former chief minister who called the shots.* Chief Minister Rabri Devi and her entourage went to meet Laloo in jail immediately after they returned from the village yesterday. And it was only after this that the state government came out with its first response to the massacre at a press conference. Till then, there was no word from Rabri. This confusion was also reflected at the two meetings Union Home Secretary B P Singh had with senior IAS and IPS officers today. Almost all of them complained: there's no government in the state because we don't know who to take orders from. Singh is believed to have assured sceptical state officials that they will soon get clear-cut directions.They also don't believe that the Chief Minister will issue marching orders to state police chief S K Saxena despite her promise to do so yesterday. Saxena is a known Laloo acolyte who obliged the Chief Minister by risking a contempt of court charge when warrants for Laloo's arrests were issued on July 29. ``Laloo has made good his boast that he will continue to rule.A few days back, when the entire city was paralysed as a result of the autorickshaw strike, Laloo had coolly summoned their leaders to his jail-office for talks and the strike was withdrawn.The same happened during the strike by the Secretariat employees Rabri tried her best to resolve the deadlock, dangling first a carrot and then showing the stick, but failed. It was only when Laloo summoned the striking leaders to the jail for a settlement that the deal could be struck.The judiciary's open disapproval notwithstanding, Laloo, sources say, summons members of Rabri's Cabinet frequently for a ``pep talk'' when his wife outside cannot ``manage'' them.Red alert in Bihar Four police stations in Bihar's Jehanabad district were today put on maximum alert as Union Home Secretary B P Singh reviewed the situation in the aftermath of Monday's massacre.Makhdumpur, Karpi, Mehendia and Arwal police stations were alerted following fear of ``major strike'' by ultra-Left organisations to avenge the carnage which left 61 people dead, police said.
