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Bihar Congressmen suggest face-saving formula

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Congressmen from Bihar have suggested that the party demand replacement of the chief minister to save face after its decision to oppose the imposition of President's rule there.

Two functionaries of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee said this morning that they had impressed on the central leadership the need for such a step.

They said that after the Congress Working Committee meeting yesterday they told party president Sonia Gandhi that it is imperative for the party to smooth ruffled feathers in the state unit, which had felt let-down by a decision that would help their rivals, the Rashtriya Janata Dal.

They said they had emphasised that the Dalits and Muslims were fed up with RJD rule in Bihar and had been looking at the Congress to rescue them from the jungle raj, described by the Patna high court.

The Bihar leaders said they had urged the party chief to ask RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav to change the chief minister if and when the state government is restored after the likely withdrawal of President's rule.

Alternatively, they said, she could ask Laloo Yadav to install two deputy chief ministers -- one Dalit and one Muslim -- to restore the confidence of the two communities.

They emphasised that the party should push for either of these steps since it is still in a position to bargain with the RJD chief.

Laloo Yadav was overjoyed at the CWC decision to oppose central rule in Bihar and he profusely thanked the Congress chief when he met her recently. With other opposition parties having rallied to his aid, he is believed to have regained his fabled self-confidence and is therefore driving a hard bargain with the Congress, the Bihar politicians pointed out.

While he indicated a few days ago that he would "accommodate" the Congress in Bihar, he appears to have resisted Congress pressure to have his wife Rabri Devi replaced as chief minister. Which is why Rabri Devi refused to step down from the post of RJD legislature party chief, they said.

It is understood that Gandhi told the Bihar Congressmen that while the central leadership would consider their suggestions, indiscipline would not be tolerated.

She reportedly urged the Bihar state unit to observe political developments from a national perspective. She also hinted that the central leadership would henceforth take no hasty decision on Bihar.

The Bihar state page

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