Monday, May 23 2005 20:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The national focus was on the bomb blasts that rocked the capital's two cinema halls, but in the darkness of the night, rival sides seeking to capture power in Bihar were making moves to checkmate each other last night (May 22, 2005).

A special plane was in readiness at Delhi airport to ferry three MLAs belonging to Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP (Lok Janshakti Party) to Patna where they were to join other dissidents in siding with NDA (National Democratic Alliance) in Government formation. Hours earlier, they had appeared before TV cameramen to pledge their loyalty to Paswan.

Unknown to them, in another part of the capital, the Union Cabinet met at short notice ostensibly to discuss bomb blasts but it also decided to recommend dissolution of the Bihar Assembly.

Three of the 10 LJP MLAs, holed up in a luxury hotel in Delhi, were persuaded by the NDA late last night to board the flight kept in readiness at Palam airport for Patna, highly placed sources said.

The flight upon reaching Patna would have given the platform to JDU (Janata Dal United) leader Nitish Kumar to claim majority by virtue of support from 17 independents and 22 LJP MLAs, they said.

However, a timely political action by UPA (United Progressive Alliance) top brass egged on by RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) supremo and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad culminated in a late night Cabinet decision to forward to the President the Governor's recommendation for dissolution of the Bihar Assembly, thus ensuring that NDA's flight remained grounded.