To save collective face, Centre may ease Buta Singh out

Just a few days ago, Buta—who called up CPM veteran H K S Surjeet today—had shrewdly passed the buck saying that the decision to dissolve the Assembly was of the Centre and the President. In other words, if he was censured, the President and the PM would also come in for criticism. For, the President could have returned the recommendation.

Buta Singh even recalled instances when the Centre had not acted on the Governor’s report, as in the case of former Governor Ram Lal whose report making a case for the dismissal of N T Rama Rao had been returned.

Soon after the SC order, the Prime Minister called on President A P J Abdul Kalam and according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan release, the SC order on Bihar was discussed. The Prime Minister, who reached Chandigarh late tonight—for the Congress CMs conclave—met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and is expected to attend a core group meeting tomorrow to discuss the next step on the SC order.

Said Home Minister Shivraj Patil: ‘‘Our final say will depend on the opinion of all parties in the coalition…We will like to be correct, we will like to be just (in our response).’’ Sources said this suggested that the UPA would speak to its ally Laloo Yadav who is expected to ask for Buta Singh to stay until the polls are over.

But unless the principle of accountability is established and Buta Singh is sent packing, the situation could become sticky for the Prime Minister given that the first phase of polls is scheduled for October 18.

And the NDA has begun turning on the heat. JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and NDA convenor George Fernandes called for the PM’s resignation and Buta’s recall. BJP chief LK Advani also called for the Bihar Governor’s recall.