Briefing newspersons about the decision, information and broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan said the Cabinet considered a note from the home ministry about the situation in the state and endorsed its assessment.

The Cabinet felt that a situation had arisen in the state in which the Government could not be run in accordance with the Constitution. It, therefore, reiterated its earlier recommendation of September 22, 1998 for imposition of President's rule in the state by invoking Article 356 of the Constitution and keeping the state assembly in suspended animation, Pramod Mahajan said.

President had earlier sent the recommendation back to the Cabinet in September for reconsideration and the Government had not pursued it respecting President'sfeelings.

Giving the sequence of events, Mahajan said the Cabinet decision was conveyed to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. After he confirmed the recommendation, it was sent to President. Responding to a question, Mahajan said the assembly has been kept in suspended animation as the Supreme Court has in Bommai case directed that assembly should be kept in suspended animation in such cases till Parliament approved the decision.

Admitting that the ruling coalition does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha, Mahajan said he hoped that in the changed situation all right thinking people would support the decision.

This is the seventh time that President's rule has been imposed in the state.Meanwhile, the dismissed Chief Minister of Bihar Rabri Devi termed the dismissal of her government as "an attempt to throttle democracy". "It is murder of democracy. Killings are occurring in other states including Jammu and Kashmir and North-eastern states. Why Bihar has been singled out for such an unconstitutionaland undemocratic action", Rabri Devi said.

Claiming that the law and order situation in the state was far better than the states ruled by the BJP, she said, "We had already formulated a comprehensive strategy to flush out extremists from the state". Whenever any incident took place, the state government was never found wanting and culprits were brought to justice, she said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Yadav did not rule out the possibility of his party moving the apex court against the Cabinet decision.

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav said his party would go to the `people's court' highlighting the "disrespect of the mandate given by the people" and expressed confidence that his party would be voted back to power with thumping majority.