Meanwhile, a harried BJP was grappling with its allies' opposition. Earlier in the day Home Minister L K Advani held informal discussions with his ministerial colleagues for the second day today but like yesterday, most of the allies stayed away save three -- Samata Party, AIADMK and Lok Shakti.

For the third time in succession, Akali leader and Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister S S Barnala skipped a meeting on Bihar. But he broke his silence in Lucknow today to protest. ``I do not think that this provision should be used for the dismissal of the RJD government,'' he asserted. ``Our party has always been against the misuse of Article 356 and, in fact, it wants that this provision be scrapped.''

Today's informal meeting of the ministers lasted a little more than an hour but it seemed that the meeting was not able to decide whetherthe Cabinet should send back its recommendation to the President in case he returned it for reconsideration. It was also not clear if the government had made up its mind to go for dissolution of the Bihar Assembly or keep it under suspended animation.

Samata leader and Defence Minister George Fernandes added a new twist to the drama by hinting that the Government might decide to dissolve the Assembly because of pressure from allies like the AIADMK. This line, of course, fits in with the Samata's long standing demand for dissolution. ``I think we should have elections,'' Fernandes said.

The Defence Minister also contradicted Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi's statement of yesterday that if the President returned the recommendation, the Centre would send it back to him. ``I don't agree with this view,'' he said but added that he was ``absolutely certain'' that the President would accept the Cabinet's decision.

Despite the brave statements, the BJP was clearly uneasy about the longdelay in the President's decision. As the hours went by, the anxiety in the party increased that Narayanan may just choose to return the recommendation for reconsideration and upset the applecart.

In fact, party leaders began preparing for such an eventuality by fielding vice-president J P Mathur to speak informally to correspondents today. He claimed that the Government was ready with answers to any clarification the President may seek on the issue.

At the same time, he admitted that if the President returned the recommendation, the Government would have to wait till the Prime Minister returned from New York before taking any further decision. ``There is no need for us to hurry as the Cabinet's decision is not politically motivated,'' he said, trying to make light of the matter.

In Patna, RJD chief Laloo Yadav put behind him the day's setback at the Supreme Court which quashed his appeal against the Patna High Court judgment in the fodder scam case, and led thousands of RJD workers to the Gandhi Maidanfor a rally against the BJP Government's recommendation of imposing Article 356 in Bihar.

He and Rabri also found time to meet Sonia Gandhi and thank her for her support at the airport even though many State Congress leaders openly came out against the party's support to the Rabri Devi Government.

Outside the maidan, Laloo blasted the BJP leaders and State Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari and exhorted party faithfuls to burn effigies of the ``enemies''. A short distance away, RJD activists kept on pouring kerosene into the fire that was lit during yesterday's yagna. Left parties also organised protest rallies but the Congress did not put up any road show.