SC order means NDA boost in Bihar

Coming just a day after the attack on BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Supeme Court order has given enough ammunition for the NDA to target the RJD-Congress alliance. ‘‘With the ruling, we have a moral upper hand and it is going to help us politically,’’ said Jaitley, adding that a delegation of the alliance would meet President Kalam on Monday to demand Buta’s recall.

BJP and JD(U) leaders admit that this verdict is more convenient than the revival of the previous House, in which the coalition had claimed a majority. ‘‘Nobody, us or the RJD-Congress, wanted the revival of the House because each thinks he is going to perform better this time,’’ said a BJP leader. ‘‘Forming and sustaining a government in the previous assembly would have been an impossible task,’’ he added.

Of the independents and those in the LJP breakaway faction, which offered support to Nitish Kumar in the dissolved Assembly, most have joined one party or the other, some even in the Congress.

Now, the NDA will intensify its campaign, clubbing together the RJD-Congress rule in Bihar and the Centre for criticism. Jaitley even named the PM and Home Minister Shivraj Patil as ‘‘conspirators’’ along with RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav and Buta Singh in the ‘‘assault on democracy’’.

The NDA has been maintaining that Buta Singh’s rule is a continuation of the RJD rule of 15 years. And with the apex court severely indicting the Governor’s act, the alliance feels vindicated.

By combining the Centre, Governor’s Rule and the three-term RJD rule, the BJP hopes to keep the anti-incumbency feeling—seen in the February election alive this time, too.

In the first phase on October 18, 61 Assembly constituencies will vote.