Sunday, May 29 2005 16:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Making a common cause with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the anti-Ram Vilas Paswan, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) camp, the independents have decided to challenge dissolution of Bihar Assembly in the Supreme Court.

Fourteen of the 17 independent MLAs of the dissolved house held a meeting in Patna last night (May 28, 2005) and decided to become a party o the petition to be filed in the apex court by the NDA and rebel LJP MLAs probably tomorrow (May 30, 2005), Jagdish Sharma, who was elected from Ghosi and hold great respect among the 17 independents, told PTI today (May 29, 2005).

Sharma said the independents would be intervener petitioner in support of the NDA writ.

Expressing faith that they would get justice against the unconstitutional step of the Union Government and the Bihar Governor Buta Singh in dissolving the Assembly on baseless ground of horse-trading, Sharma said the Governor's role right from the beginning was dubious.

"The Governor did not perform his constitutional duty of making all possible efforts for formation of a popular Government in the State and instead recommended dissolution of the house on flimsy charge of horse-trading of MLAs", he said.