Tuesday, January 24 2006 14:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today (Jan 24, 2006) said he stood vindicated by the Supreme Court's judgement holding as malafide Governor Buta Singh's recommendation to the union cabinet for dissolution of the state assembly.

"Being the chief minister I don't want to make any comment on the Supreme Court ruling apart from the fact that we stand vindicated. First the people of the state vindicated our stand by voting us to power and now the Supreme Court", he told reporters when approached for his reaction to the apex court's judgement.

Asked if his party, the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar would benefit from the SC ruling, Kumar said, "While occupying a constitutional post, I don't want to comment on the conduct of a person occupying another constitutional post keeping in mind the healthy practice in democracy".

He also refused to take any question on whether he or the NDA would demand the recall of Buta Singh following his indictment by the Apex Court.