Cabinet okays Rabri Devi's dismissal, all eyes on President
The Union cabinet today recommended
dismissal of the Rabri Devi government in Bihar and keep the state
assembly under suspended animation, Home Minister L K Advani said.
Immediately after the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister A B
Vajpayee, Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandes called on
President K R Narayanan at Rashtrapati Bhavan and communicated the
decision to him.
Speaking to newsmen at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Advani said
the cabinet discussed the Bihar governor's report which recommended
dismissal of the state government due to "the constitutional
breakdown, financial mismanagement and failure of law and order" in
the state.
He said the recommendation to keep the assembly under suspended
animation was in the light of the Supreme Court judgment in the S R
Bommai case.
Advani said the Centre was keen to hold elections in the
state as early as possible.
Advani said the President had informed the prime minister
that he would take a decision on the recommendation of the
government after consulting constitutional and legal experts.
The cabinet which started the crucial meeting at 11 am,
discussed the issue for about two hours.
Coming out of the meeting, AIADMK nominee and Law and Justice
Minister M Thambidurai said he strongly pleaded for the dismissal
of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu under Article 356. He said the
situation in Tamil Nadu was bad.
Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari, who arrived in the capital
on Friday night, met the prime minister and the home minister and
apprised the central leadership of the need for central intervention
as the state government had failed to discharge its constitutional
responsibilities of governing the state.
The governor has also submitted a detailed report to the
President .However, he did not meet the President.
While the Samata Party ,which is a coalition partner in the
BJP government at the Centre was strongly advocating dismissal of
the Bihar government, the Akali Dal, another coalition partner, is
opposed to the use of Article 356. The AIADMK, another coalition partner
has been pressing the Vajpayee government for the dismissal of the
Karunanidhi government.
This is the first time the BJP-led government at the
Centre has recommended dismissal of a state government.
This is only a recommendation based on the cabinet meeting
and the governor's report. The President is the final authority to
take a final decision.
Today's outcome of the cabinet meeting means Bihar
will come under President's rule if K R Narayanan accepts the
recommendation. As it did not recommend dissolution of the state
assembly, there is a possibility for an alternate government
formation.
Earlier, half-way through the cabinet meeting, solicitor
general Soli Sorabjee was summoned by the cabinet for his legal
advice.
The prime minister is leaving tonight on an eight-day tour
to New York and Paris and will return on September 30.
UNI
Tell us what you think of this report
|