Bihar stir in Lok Sabha, Laloo walks out

Bihar quite much dominated the proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Saturday as RJD chief and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav walked out duri...

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Bihar quite much dominated the proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Saturday as RJD chief and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav walked out during Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s speech and the JD(U), BJP and LJP sent signals and counter-signals on government formation in the state.

When Patil rose to speak, Laloo Yadav staged a walkout with his MPs. Advani and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar said pointed out that this was a breach in the ruling alliance and even an instance of ‘‘collective responsibility’’ having ‘‘collapsed’’. Advani reminded Patil that Yadav had also absented himself from the Cabinet meeting which took the decision to impose President’s rule in Bihar.

Earlier, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar found offers from BJP’s Sushil Modi and LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan. Nitish took a dig at Paswan for saying that the situation in Bihar had improved after President rule. ‘‘…When Mussolini took over Italy, his rule was commended because trains were running on time…Paswan is saying something similar,’’ he said. The LJP chief’s reply: “I find Nitishji always blaming someone else for the President’s rule in Bihar. Now I invite you…break up from the NDA and come with us. We can form governemnt tomorrow without RJD or the BJP.” Modi countered: ‘‘We can even think of outside support to a government in Bihar because we favour a government…not President’s Rule.’’