Laloo's day-and-a-half visit here after scoring a political victory over the Bihar events was ostensibly meant to bolster unity moves among the leading anti-BJP groups like the Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha, the Left and the Congress. Laloo managed to bring Morcha and Left leaders together but could only talk, briefly at that, to middle-level Congress leaders.

Two CWC members, Madhavrao Scindia and Manmohan Singh, spoke to Laloo for a short while at a book release function of a publication on Mulayam Singh Yadav at the IIC yesterday. But there was no interaction with Sonia

The recent meeting between Sonia and Laloo was at the VIP lounge of Patna airport when the Congress chief was on a tour of flood-affected areas in the State. It was a short meeting whereit is believed Laloo and Rabri Devi thanked Sonia for her support to the Bihar government when the Centre wanted its dismissal.

The on and off relationship between the Congress and the Morcha is likely to stay that way with the duo getting closer whenever an issue is basically anti-BJP. The Congress is very keen to revive itself in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh before it makes a move to topple the BJP-led government.

Laloo and Mulayam are seen as the main stumbling blocks for the party's revival in the two politically crucial states. Which is why the party allowed its Bihar MLAs to go for a conscience vote on the Jharkand issue in the Bihar Assembly. In the end, the 14 Bihar MLAs voted for the creation of Jharkand and 15 voted against, all of them coming from north Bihar.

While it did show differences in perception in the Congress, it also prevented a formal split. Most other parties were also racked by differences over Jharkand including the RJD, Janata Dal and the CPI. Problems with Laloo is also why theCongress kept saying Article 356 of the Constitution should not be misused when the Bihar issue came up.

Not once did the Congress say anything in favour of Laloo except saying Article 356 shouldn't be misused. That situation will stay till the party is able to do something positive for itself in UP and Bihar. Even today, the Congress felt Article 356 should stay in its current form and not dispensed with as BJP president Khushabhau Thakre suggested.

Thakre felt Article 356 was redundant if it cannot be imposed in Bihar at the moment. The Congress differs. ``Article 356 should not be abolished. It is needed in extraordinary circumstances and should remain in its present form,'' party spokesperson Ajit Jogi said today.

He also praised President K R Narayanan. ``He has saved democracy and prevented its attempted rape by the BJP-led government by taking a wise and considered opinion. The President is the Constitutional head of the country and open criticism of him is not good for democracy,'' Jogiadded.