M A I N   N E W S

NDA hails SC decision on Bihar
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 7
Describing the Supreme Court verdict on the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly as a “victory for constitutionalism”, the BJP-led NDA today trained its guns on the Centre and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accusing him of “misleading” the country on the issue and demanded the immediate recall of Governor Buta Singh.

While NDA Chief Ministerial candidate in Bihar, Nitesh Kumar, went to the extent of demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation in the light of the court’s verdict, BJP General Secretary and spokesman Arun Jaitley also announced that leaders of the NDA would be petitioning President A.P.J Abdul Kalam on October 10 to ensure “free and fair elections” in the state.

“There are three partners in this conspiracy—the Centre, the Governor and the RJD and its leader Lalu Prasad Yadav”, Mr Jaitley told mediapersons demanding introspection on the part of the Prime Minister as to how he landed in this “conspiracy”.

“We welcome the Supreme Court verdict. It is a victory for constitutionalism. There was an assault on democracy in Bihar’’, Mr Jaitley said and added that ‘‘the judgement holds that assault to be unconstitutional”.

NDA Convener George Fernandes said the Prime Minister should “pay the price” for the decision to dissolve the Assembly.

While the NDA saw an opportunity of restoring its credibility in the popular perception, the UPA allies were clearly on the defensive as the RJD and the LJP restricted their reaction to welcoming the verdict for not cancelling the ongoing electoral process in the state.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “It is our victory as the apex court has not ordered a revival of the dissolved Assembly and said the elections will be held as per the schedule”.

LJP leader and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan welcomed the SC judgement and said his party was already in election mode and the campaigning was in top gear.

The CPI said the SC’s judgement on Bihar election was" interim” but its observations on issues like the dissolution of the state Assembly needed to be examined. “It is an interim judgement of the Supreme Court.

It has not stopped the elections. However, the apex court’s observations on issues like dissolution of the House need to be examined”, CPI National Secretary D.Raja said. Earlier, Mr Jaitley went all out against the UPA saying he hoped that the verdict, which comes within four-and-a-half months of the May 23 proclamation imposing President’s rule in the state, would prevent the misuse of Article 356 and would also serve as a “warning” that if the provision was misused, the apex court will strike it down. “The Prime Minister and the Home Minister cannot escape responsibility. After all, it was the Prime Minister who misled the country with his remarks that Bihar was facing the worst kind of horse trading. But not a shred of evidence was presented before the Supreme Court.

“The veneer of political correctness is wearing away. The Prime Minister has to decide that having been privy to the constitutional monstrosity, what step he has to take”, he said.

Mr Jaitley said the Assembly dissolution was a “complete and absolute fraud on democracy and a Constitutional monstrosity”.

The BJP leader charged state Governor Buta Singh with being the “biggest conspirator” in the “conspiracy against democracy and the people of Bihar”, followed by the RJD Chief and the Congress-led UPA Government.