PATNA, FEB 13: Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the relatives of those killed in the Ranabir Sena massacre on Wednesday night that she would fight for their cause and their dignity.Though Chief Minister Rabri Devi had to face hostile protests on her visit to Narayanpur village, residents, many with tears in their eyes, told Sonia their horror stories.On her return to Patna, she told reporters that on ``moral grounds,'' the ``state government has no right to say anything.'' When asked if the Congress supported President's Rule and whether it would ratify it in Parliament, she said: ``The Assembly is in suspended animation. Let us see.'' However, party general secretary Sushil Shinde began from where Sonia stopped. He said that the issue of ``extending support (to the RJD) was now a closed chapter.''However, Sonia's silence speaks volumes about her dilemma. With the Budget session due in 10 days, the Congress has to decide on whether to back President's Rule, oppose it or simply abstain when theissue is taken up within six weeks of the session commencing. The entire Congress is tongue-tied and leaders have been parrying queries saying only Sonia can clear the confusion.Pro-Laloo Congress leaders like Sitaram Kesri and Tariq Anwar can stay happy she didn't criticise the Rabri Devi government in strong terms. But anti-Laloo party leaders like Madhavrao Scindia and others can feel good that the Congress president didn't oppose the use of Article 356. This implies she is in favour of dumping the RJD and would announce so at an ``appropriate time.''The third option is of abstaining during the vote on the subject in Parliament. This would ensure passage in the Lok Sabha, if all the Treasury bench members vote for it. In the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling coalition is in a minority, the Congress abstaining would further muddy the waters.But her hands are tied. If she backs President's Rule, the Congress will have to answer the charge of siding with communal forces against a government of the``poor and the backward,'' an accusation the RJD has already levelled today.Should Sonia oppose the dismissal of the Rabri Devi government, her party will be seen as anti-Dalit, a position the Congress president loathes.In effect, silence is all she can bank on. Which is perhaps why Sonia took refuge in symbolic gestures like asking Shinde to give Rs 10,000 as compensation to the affected families.At best, the Congress president can buy time till the first week of March. After that, Sonia will be forced to take the plunge. Either way.
