Situation In Bihar Stable: Kidwai

The United Front government is unlikely to impose presidents rule in Bihar. State governor AR Kidwai has evidently made the assessment that there is no law and order problem in the state.

Kidwai said yesterday that the situation in Bihar is stable, indicating that he saw no need to use Article 356 in the state.

The Bihar Governor met President Shanker Dayal Sharma and Union home minister Indrajit Gupta yesterday and was reported to have told them that the situation in the state did not warrant the use of Article 356.

Kidwai acknowledged that he met the president, but refused to divulge details of the meeting. He, however, said that he did not discuss the question of whether to impose presidents rule with Sharma. Given the differences in the Front about the use of Article 356, the government is unlikely to apply it, specially since the inter-state council failed to arrive at a consensus on the issue at a third meeting on the issue last week.

 

While regional parties like the TDP, the DMK and AGP are totally opposed to the use of article 356, the Left parties are of the view that it should be used seldom and curbs be put in place to ensure that it is not misused.

The CPI national executive last week decided that article 356 should be retained with some modifications. The CPI(M) seems to be divided on the issue. While West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu wants it to be retained with modifications, Kerala chief minister EK Nayanar wants its abolition.