For Sardar Buta Singh whose political career has always been dogged in controversies his stint at the Raj Bhawan in Bihar was no exception. Mr Buta Singh was always there in news during his 15 months long stay in Bihar, mostly for wrong reasons. Now when he is no more a laat sahib I believe he was made a scapegoat for executing the schemes of his bosses in New Delhi. Also, I, firmly, believe that Mr Buta Singh could not have dared to take such a step (his recommendation to dissolve the Bihar assembly) without a consent of his friends and guide in the Congress and the government who have finally deserted him.

Surely, Bihar assembly dissolution issue has something more than what meets the eye. Media reports quoting Raj Bhawan officials that printouts of the call made and received by Raj Bhawan from New Delhi in the run up to house dissolution would made everything crystal clear also drops enough hints about who actually wanted the house to be dissolved.

A veteran Congressman with close links to the Nehru-Gandhi family actually wanted the centre to file a review petition in the Supreme Court over the house dissolution issue. In return he was conveyed the message that the centre wanted him to leave Patna and there was hardly any chance left for a face saving exercise. Surely Buta is not wrong in feeling pained with the rejection of his demand and the Centre's decision to ask him to relent. He could have hardly thought in his wildest of dreams that his party would behave in a way it actually did.

What I believe is that with his announcement to knock the doors of the Supreme Court to prove his innocence, Mr Buta Sigh is just trying to execute a face saving exercise.

Mr Buta Singh had not been able to drive the state according to him under the president rule and lastly it was Mr Lalu Prasad who emerged out as the power centre. In the initial days of president rule, the state administration under Mr Buta Singh had taken stern action against the controversial RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and the brother in laws of Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav. The Railways Minister was visible upset with how the governor of a State which his party had ruled for more than 15 years was working.
The Union Home Ministry's decision to appoint former Bihar Chief Secretary Arun Pathak, a close aide of Mr Lalu Prasad, was, for sure, a move by the centre to clip the wings of the governor and appease the Railways Minister whose party is a major partner of the UPA government at Centre.

After Mr Arun Pathak's appointment the DM and SP of Siwan, the homeland of Mohammad Shahabuddin, were removed and other officers who had taken actions against RJD leaders were transferred with the consent of the Chief Secretary GS Kang. The governor was caught forced to go back foot after a letter written by him to Mr Lalu Prasad seeking favour to a railway official appeared in the media. It was alleged that Mr Lalu Prasad had passed on the letter to the media to tighten the noose around the governor.

Given that the NDA has come to power in Bihar with a thumping majority in November 2005 elections, it has hardly anything to worry with Mr Buta Singh's announcement to move the apex court.
If at all the man in controversy takes a legal course the outcome will only lead to another chaos in the Congress.

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