Rabri's statement exposes Laloo's gameplan

Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi's statement that she would not resign even if her husband Laloo Prasad Yadav's name is cleared in the fodder scam reflects the Rashtriya Janata Dal president's prompting in the matter.

According to leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP), Devi's statement intends to distract attention from the ''well-known fact'' that she is merely keeping the chief minister's chair warm for Laloo Yadav.

Modi said the former chief minister seeks to create the impression that Devi has a will of her own and that her position would not be affected if his camp emerges unscathed from the Rs 9.5 billion fodder scam.

However, Modi pointed out, ''Laloo Yadav will have to pay the price for his sins, and indications are that his political life would be snuffed out.''

Significantly, Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Harikishen Singh Surjeet has criticised Prime Minister I K Gujral for his tacit approval of Devi's succession. But, ironically, though the Left constituents express similar views, leaders like Surjeet keep saying that they are all united and that there is no threat to Gujral's government. Thus, such contradictions in the UF appear to be the rule rather than the exception.

As Devi won the vote of confidence in the Bihar assembly on Monday, the Congress's actions suggested that it was still trying to detabilise the UF government.

The Congress has supported Devi's government, much to the discomfiture of the Left and a few other UF constituents.