Laloo and gang go Chacha-wooing

Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav on Tuesday touched Congress president Sitaram Kesri's feet -- telephonically, that is.

A Rashtriya Janata Dal Lok Sabha member, known to be extremely close to the beleaguered Yadav, told Rediff On The NeT that Laloo spoke to Kesri on a hotline for nearly five minutes and sought the latter's blessings to find a way out of the delicate position he is in. The source said Kesri listened to Laloo patiently. Kesri's response is not known.

Significantly, a leading Laloo loyalist and RJD leader M A A Fatmi contended that despite various shortcomings in the Congress, nobody could doubt the party's strong secular credentials. Fatmi also sang Kesri's praises -- his sense of social justice and such likes -- thereby making it clear that the RJD leadership had gone all out to woo the Congress.

Meanwhile, the United Front leaders met to assess the implications of demanding Laloo Yadav's ouster. The UF leaders have already made it known they would press for Yadav's resignation during the monsoon session of Parliament commencing on Wednesday.

The government, meanwhile, is still discussing whether or not to impose Presidential rule in Bihar, owing to the deterioration of law and order situation there. Though Janata Dal leaders Ram Vilas Pawan and Sharad Yadav on Monday faced the fury of Laloo supporters at Sitamadi while addressing a public meeting, Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta is still not convinced.

Hearing on Laloo's bail plea adjourned till Wednesday