Advani's flip-flop on the issue has fuelled speculation in government circles, coming as it does on the eve of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's return to the Capital. Vajpayee, sources said, had been reluctant to dismiss the Rabri Devi Government in the first place and is now upset at his government's loss of face.

Yesterday, the Home Minister had met the President to reiterate the government's view that Bihar was still a fit case for Article 356, leading to media reports suggesting that efforts to bring the state under President's rule were being revived.

Interestingly, Union Minister S S Barnala hinted today that the chapter may not be closed yet. He said no decision has been taken with regard to sending the recommendation backto the President and that the Cabinet was waiting for the PM's return tomorrow. He indicated that the Union Cabinet was expected to meet soon and possibly consider the issue.

Barnala reiterated that his party, the Akali Dal, was totally opposed to imposition of President's rule in Bihar under any circumstances. ``We have already taken a stand on the issue and we will stand by it,'' he said.

After the President's rejection, Vajpayee had insisted that a decision on whether to drop the move or force the President's hand by sending back the recommendation should be taken immediately without waiting for his return. Advani had said that the Cabinet would wait for Vajpayee to come back before making its next move.

This would have kept the pot boiling for another week during which the BJP and Samata Party could have increased the pressure on the government to return the recommendation to the President. But Vajpayee was apparently wary of getting into a confrontation with the President and short-circuited themove by ensuring that the matter was resolved immediately.

Advani said today that the dismissal issue was over ``at present'' and nothing of the sort was discussed with Narayanan. The Home Ministry spokesman, however, clarified that during his 30-minute meeting with Narayanan, the Home Minister discussed several issues, including the situation in Bihar. It was merely a courtesy call on the President and nothing more should be read into it, the spokesman said.

However, the BJP, which is gearing up to launch an offensive on the issue, seems in no mood to let the matter drop. ``The BJP is very clear: The Bihar jungle raj should go. We leave it to the Centre to see how,'' declared party general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu.

Naidu met Advani today to urge him to see that the government brings out a comprehensive White Paper on the use and misuse of Article 356 since Independence. Advani assured him that he would consider it. The BJP's stand was that there should be safeguards against the misuse of Article 356,Naidu said.

Condemning RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav for using ``abusive'' language against Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari, Naidu said it was an ``indirect attack on the President of India'' as governors were the representatives of the President.

The Bihar unit of BJP would be meeting on October four to chalk out a programme of action to mobilise public opinion against the RJD's ``jungle raj'', he said.

BJP president Kushabhau Thakre, who returned to the Capital after several days of touring, met Advani this evening. So did party vice president K L Sharma.