Bihar House dissolved, polls ordered

Elections unlikely before september, governor defends decision citing horse trading

tna May 24, 2005The Election Commission today said it would meet this week to decide dates for a fresh election to the Bihar assembly, after the Union Cabinet, in a late night meeting decided to dissolve the assembly and faxed a letter to this effect to Russia where President APJ Abdul Kalam accepted the recommendation.

Already in suspended animation, the decision was taken in something of a hurry following rumours that the BJP-JD(U) combine might be readying itself to cobble up the numbers required to form a government.

The BJP and its allies, secretly not unhappy at the move (see Snap polls may help NDA), announced a Bihar bandh for May 24. An election must be held within six months failing which President