Rabri takes oath as CM

PATNA, March 9 (UNI) — RJD Legislature Party Leader Rabri Devi was today sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar following revocation of President’s rule in the state last night.

Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari administered the oath of secrecy to Mrs Rabri Devi at a simple function at Raj Bhavan here.

She is the 28th Chief Minister of the state.

The Chief Minister said her Cabinet colleagues were expected to take oath tomorrow.

Prominent among those who headed the ceremony were state Legislative Council Chairman Jabir Hussain, Assembly Speaker Deo Narayan Yadav, RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and other senior leaders of his party, besides Mr Justice J N Dubey.

However, the ceremony was boycotted by the BJP.

Later, the Governor invited Mrs Rabri Devi to form the government.

The Governor asked the new government to prove its majority on the floor of the state assembly within ten days.

High drama was witnessed at Raj Bhavan when the Governor wanted the physical presence of 14 non-RJD MLAs supporting the RJD government. It took around one hour for the Governor to take his decision and invite Mrs Rabri Devi.

Earlier, the RJD Legislature Party elected Mrs Rabri Devi as their leader at a meeting, attended by all RJD legislators, besides six of the Krantikari CPI, six Independents, one JPP and one nominated.

The Governor was informed of the decision by RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and Mrs Rabri Devi.

Mr Yadav told newspersons after meeting the Governor that the government was ready to prove its majority within the stipulated time.

He said Mrs Rabri Devi would alone take the oath of office and secrecy today while the rest of her Cabinet would be administered the oath tomorrow.

Mr Yadav, however, refused to comment on whether there would be any change in the state Cabinet. "We will try to maintain status quo in almost all the departments.’’

The RJD supremo announced that the government would accord top priority to developmental works in the state. Consultatives committee in each department would be constituted to monitor works, while the poor and the oppressed would be provided adequate financial grants.

All decisions of Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari during his 25-day stint would be reviewed, sources said.

All important decisions, taken by the Governor pertaining to finance, planning and other developmental activities of the state, were opposed to the social justice, the sources alleged and said the secularism plank would be thoroughly scrutinised.

The Governor had heavily slashed budget allocations for the development of minorities. Besides, several plan and non-plan allocations for the development of the state had either been slashed or kept in abeyance, sources said.

All such decisions would be reviewed by the new government in the interest of the state.

The large-scale reshuffle of the senior officials, made by Mr Bhandari and other decisions in the field of education and development, taken during this period, would also be reviewed.

The Rabri Devi government which has been in power for over one-and-a-half years was dismissed on February 12 and the state assembly kept under suspended animation for the first time in the histroy of Bihar after imposition of President’s rule.

RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav had handed over the reigns of the state to his wife Mrs Rabri Devi on July 25, 1997, following an arrest warrant, issued by the court against him in connection with the fodder scam case.