Bjp Dares Gujral To Sack Laloo

The BJP yesterday stepped up pressure for Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadavs resignation by challenging Prime Minsiter I K Gujral to dismiss Yadav and demonstrate that he is committed to fighting corruption and restoring probity in public life.

The party also demanded the dismissal of Union minister CP Verma, another prime accused in the fodder scam.

Party spokesperson Yashwant Sinha favoured the imposition of Presidents rule in the state in order to allow the Janata Dal to choose another leader in Yadavs place.

BJP office-bearers had an emergency meeting under Sikandar Bakht to discuss the Bihar situation.

Those who attended included Kushabhau Thakre, Sangh Priya Gautam, Ram Kripal Sinha and Sinha.

Given Yadavs insistence on not resigning, his dismissal was the only way out of this crisis, a statement released after the meeting said. This is an extraordinary step but the extraordinary situation in Bihar left little scope for either pusillanimity or delay, it added.

Gujral must summon the political courage to call Yadavs bluff, Sinha said, adding that the Prime Minister today faces the litmus test of proving how genuine is his commitment. In the event of his failure to act he and the entire United Front shall stand accused of protecting a corrupt chief minister and preventing his prosecution, Sinha held.

The BJP also tried to turn the Governors delay in granting sanction for prosecution of Yadav and Verma into an evidence against them. The Governor took 37 days time to study the details of the case and to decide whether there was a prima facie case against Yadav, the BJP spokesperson pointed out. This has strengthened the case aginst Yadav as the CBIs investigation in the case has been attested by the Governor, he asserted.