Laloo Gains Support In Anti-Vananchal Stand

Laloo Prasad Yadav, president of Bihar's ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal, is gaining support in his strong opposition to carving a separate Vananchal state. The Assembly today is unlikely to give its nod to Vananchal.

Open and tacit support to Yadav by non-BJP-Samata parties appears to be aimed at putting the BJP in a tight spot, as their MLAs from north Bihar will find themselves swimming against the popular tide of "division of Bihar over my dead body" created by Yadav. Creation of Vananchal will take away the mineral-rich southern districts from an already cash-strapped Bihar.

The Congress is unlikely to issue whips to its MLAs to make them vote in favour of Vananchal despite the Congress Working Committee supporting a separate Jharkhand state. Congress MLAs will most likely be free to vote according to their conscience, or abstain from voting.

The CPI(M) and the BSP have decided to side with Yadav. His wife and Bihar Chief Minster, Rabri Devi, is expanding her cabinet to induct new entrants to the party from the Janata Dal.

Thus the RJD enjoys a clear majority in the Assembly despite the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (Soren) withdrawing support.

Congress spokesperson Girija Vyas yesterday refused to criticise Rabri Devi's surprise move to expand her ministry. Vyas instead criticised the BJP government in Rajashtan, which expanded its ministry only a couple of months before Assembly elections.

At the same time, she said there might be some need in Bihar for expansion of the ministry.

Vyas's stand fits well with the strategy of the Congress to fuel Yadav's call of no-division to the extent that no politician in north Bihar will be able to speak in favour of Vananchal. The Congress has no base left in the region and will be willing to suffer a split in the party if it ensures a similar split in the Bihar unit of the BJP.

Perhaps aware of the dangers of a split in the party, Union home minister L K Advani yesterday remained noncommittal on the demand to dismiss the Rabri Devi government. He told journalists in Hyderabad that he was receiving "inputs" from political parties as well as his own sources on the situation in Bihar and that the Centre would only take a decision that was "constitutionally correct and politically legitimate".

"We are seized of the matter. The government will take its own time," Advani said.

An agency report from Patna said the Bihar State Reorganisation (Vananchal) Bill 1998 to create a separate state is unlikely to get approval of the Assembly at its special session beginning today.

The Rabri Devi ministry now enjoys the support of 161 members, including nine Independents and six expelled CPI MLAs, one more than majority in the House.

With five members in the House, the CPI(M)'s decision to oppose Vananchal and the two-member BSP decision also to stand by Laloo Yadav has boosted the strength of anti-Vananchal forces.

The single- member Champaran Vikas Party, which is espousing development of the non-tribal district, may also help RJD to block approval to the Vananchal Bill.