Ambarish Dutta
Tribune News Service
Patna, October 8
It was virtually a reprieve for Governor Buta Singh today as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not disown his responsibility for the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly on May 23.
Sources in Raj Bhavan disclosed that Mr Buta Singh was more than happy as the Prime Minister also refuted the charges made by the Opposition that the Governor house was politicised in the process.
The remarks made by the Prime Minister coincided with the statement made by Mr Buta Singh last week during an interview claiming that he alone was not responsible for the imposition of the President's rule in Bihar.“I only recommended the President`s rule, but the decision was taken by the Centre”, were his observation.
It was reliably learnt that senior Congress leaders close to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi advised Mr Buta Singh to remain silent in the wake of the judicial indictment by the Supreme Court.
Since the Prime Minister himself said that he would comment on the judgement only after studying the full
report, which was expected not before October 18 after the court resumes its activities after the puja vacation, there is no imminent threat to Mr Buta Singh.
Sources said that the Governor has been sounded of being shifted after October 18 with a minor reshuffle of Governors in other states so that he may have an honourable exit.
But even then a decision, sources said , to this effect largely depends on the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad
Yadav, who wanted Mr Buta Singh to continue till the formation of the next government in Bihar.
Mr Buta Singh received unexpected support from LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan who opposed the
Governor's dismissal on “caste lines” by terming any such move as discriminatory to “Dalits”.
The senior CPM leader Hakishan Singh Surjeet was also reportedly consulted by Mr Buta Singh before the Congress core
committee met in Chandigarh yesterday.
On his part, Mr Buta was seemingly unwilling to take the moral responsibility of the development by stepping down on “moral
grounds", despite the prevailing public mood here against him for forcing another election on the cash- strapped state.
