Monday, March 7 2005 20:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Bringing the curtains down on the virtually uninterrupted 15-year reign of Laloo-Rabri in Bihar, the Union Cabinet tonight (Mar 7, 2005) decided to impose President's rule in the State following the deadlock in a hung Assembly which will be kept under suspended animation.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet which considered Governor Buta Singh's recommendation yesterday that no party was in a position to form Government and there was no option but to impose President's rule.

The Cabinet decision now goes to President A P J Abdul Kalam who has to decide on the issue of proclamation under article 356 of the Constitution for brining the State under the Central rule.

RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) leader and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad and his rival LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) leader and Steel Minister Ramvilas Paswan kept away from the meeting that took the crucial decision relating to their State.

After Laloo won the elections in 1990 there were only two brief occasions when the State power slipped out of their hands - once in 1995 when Nitish Kumar was sworn in Chief Minister but had to bow out when he could not prove majority and the other time a few years ago President's rule was imposed citing bad law and order situation but could not be sustained because the proclamation could not be passed in Parliament during NDA (National Democratic Alliance)'s tenure.