Vananchal — President sends Bill to State Govt for consent

The Congress, which has lent support to the Rabri Devi led-RJD Government, is in a dilemma. If it extends support to the Bill in the House during voting, the RJD Government would be reduced to a minority. This would also go against the agreement reached between the Congress and the RJD leadership.

During the recent Assembly polls, Congress sought votes in the Jharkhand region on the Vananchal plank. Going back on its promise now would be a loss of face for the party in the region, which means a gain for the NDA.

Vananchal was a burning issue during the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. While NDA went all out for creation of Vananchal even at the risk of losing ground in north and central Bihar, Laloo Prasad stuck to his guns on the issue.

Earlier in 1998, his RJD Government had placed the Bill in the Assembly but through its majority declined to pass it. It was only after 1997 that the RJD chief changed his stand on formation of a separate state. Before that he was “open to it” when he had strongly advocated creation of a separate state, and in 1990-91, a resolution to this effect was passed by the House. Laloo Prasad apparently realised later that bifurcation of Bihar would harm his political prospects.

Although the State Government has no role in creation of a new state, Laloo Prasad holds that Vananchal cannot be created without its approval. He has said the Centre has no right to bifurcate the state and any such move would be an infringement of the state’s rights.