``All options are open,'' said Sushil Modi, leader of the BJP Bihar Legislature Party, after this morning's emergency meeting of the party's National Executive called to discuss the Bihar situation.

The BJP is clearly hoping for a split in the RJD, without which another government is not possible. Leaders recalled that last year, nearly 80 disgruntled RJD MLAs had been prepared to go over to Ram Vilas Paswan (Janata Dal) but had been co-opted by Laloo Prasad. They also claimed that Rabri Devi's Cabinet expansion last week has left a large number of RJD MLAs unhappy.

As in Uttar Pradesh, fear of elections and the bait of forming a government could trigger off major realignments in Bihar. The BJP is also looking beyond the immediate picture and playing a long-term game, aiming to use the Bihar situation to force a nation-wide polarisation into BJP and anti-BJP forces.

The strategy is to ``expose'' the Congress and Left parties, which are supporting Laloo Prasad Yadav on the dismissal issue. ``Laloo is a symbol of the three Cs - corruption, criminalisation and casteism. After supporting him how can the Congress claim to be against these things?'' said a senior BJP leader.

The party fears that the middle class is getting disenchanted with BJP governments, whether in Delhi, Rajasthan or at the Centre because of spiralling prices, oil shortages and such issues. After the Pachmarhi conclave, it is clear that the Congress is keen to win back the middle classes. According to BJP strategists, the Congress's support to Laloo will make this difficult.

BJP national executive:

Seeking to deflect criticism on the Government decision to recommend the imposition of Central Rule in Bihar, the emergent BJP national executive meet justified that the situation in Bihar was a danger to national integration and security of the state.

The resolution pointed out that the BJP had often been the victim of misuse of Article 356 and averred that the BJP believed that elected governments should not be disturbed or dislodged.

``That Article 356 has been grossly abused a hundred times by the Congress and UF does not detract from the fact that it is a constitutional tool to save the people of a state that has slipped into anarchy and chaos. Such an occasion has arisen now,'' it stated.

Emerging from the meeting, HRD Minister M M Joshi said, ``The President has no option but to implement the government's decision.''

In the Supreme Court's judgement in the Bommai case, the apex court had enumerated six conditions from which a constitutional breakdown could be justifiably inferred : large-scale breakdown of law & order; gross mismanagement of affairs by the government; corruption and abuse of power; danger to national integration or security of the state; subversion of the Constitution; and non-compliance with directions of the Union. ``All these diverse situation prevail in Bihar today, amounting to constitutional breakdown,'' the resolution said.