M A I N   N E W S

Congress to join Rabri govt

NEW DELHI, March 13 (PTI, UNI) — The Congress tonight decided to join the Rabri Devi government in Bihar on the basis of an eight-point mutually agreed common minimum programme.

A decision to this effect was taken by the Congress Working Committee, senior party leader Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here.

The Congress, which has 23 members in the 324-member Bihar Assembly, would, however, join the government only after it secures the confidence vote on March 16.

The Congress had earlier extended support to the RJD in the formation of government under an agreed common minimum programme.

Mr Mukherjee said the decision to join the Rabri Devi government was taken as the party felt that outside support would only result in the party being blamed for omissions and commissions of the government.

He said it was felt that the party could not influence the decision- making process by remaining outside.

The senior leader parried questions on the number of Congress ministers and their portfolios and said it would depend on the size of the Council of Ministers.

Mr Mukherjee side-stepped questions whether the party would press for deputy chief ministership saying details would have to be discussed with the leader of the RJD after the confidence vote.

Asked whether the party would demand the portfolios of agriculture, power and finance, he said the party had not discussed the names of ministers and their portfolios.

Mr Mukherjee denied suggestions that the Congress had changed its line on coalitions adopted at the Pachmarhi session of senior leaders by deciding to join the RJD government. Even the Pachmarhi declaration had made it clear that the party could enter into coalitions if there was a fractured mandate or no party was having a clear majority, he said in reply to a question.

Asked the time-frame by which the party would demand the creation of a separate Jharkhand state, he said the detailed programme had to be worked out.

Mr Mukherjee said the CWC decision was unanimous and 17 of its members were present at today’s meeting which was the continuation of the meeting held on March 11.

Asked whether the Congress would agree to the RJD stand that the CBI would be kept out of the state, he said the CBI was established by the law of the land and it could work within the legal framework.

Meanwhile, in a move seeking to further embarrass the Vajpayee government after recent developments in Bihar and Gujarat, the Congress today decided to propose cut motions on the Budget’s proposed subsidies cut on rice sold through ration shops, an issue on which the government has come under pressure from its allies.

The CPP, which met here this morning, decided to bring cut motions on reduction in subsidies on PDS rice, Congress Chief Whip Priyaranjan Dasmunshi told reporters here.

The CPP decision came at a time when the Vajpayee government faces mounting pressure from its allies to rollback the subsidies slash on PDS rice and urea.

Bihar Governor to stay: Advani

NEW DELHI, March 13 (PTI, UNI) — The Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, today rejected the demand for recall of the Bihar Governor, Mr V.C. Pandey, saying he had not acted in a partisan manner, triggering a walkout by unconvinced Congress-led Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

“There is no question of recall of (Bihar) Governor. He has not done anything illegal or unconstitutional in inviting Nitish Kumar to form the government in the state after fractured verdict in the assembly elections”, Mr Advani said in reply to a short duration discussion.

Mr Advani said the evidence placed before him by the governor indicated there was “no haste” or “partisanship” in asking Mr Nitish Kumar-led NDA alliance to form a government at the point of time as Mr Kumar was ahead in the numbers game.

An angry opposition led by its leader, Dr Manmohan Singh, took exception to Mr Advani quoting from the Governor’s letter that the Congress had taken no decision to support the RJD till the night of March 2, a day before Pande decided to call NDA to form the government.