A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the union cabinet this morning after it became clear that the government resolution in the Rajya Sabha was sure to be defeated.

The union cabinet's decision was announced in the Lok Sabha by home minister LK Advani and in the Rajya Sabha by parliamentary affairs minister Rangarajan Kumaramangalam amid thumping of desks from the opposition benches.

A presidential proclamation revoking the central rule in Bihar, a mere formality now, is imminent. President KR Narayanan, who is to return to Delhi from Khajuraho late this evening, is likely to sign the revocation order tonight itself, according to official sources.

The revocation announcement evoked reactions from political parties on familiar lines. While RJD leader Laloo Prasad Yadav and his Samajwadi Partycounterpart Mulayam Singh Yadav demanded resignation of the Government in the wake of its failure to get parliamentary approval for the presidential proclamation, Kanshi Ram's BSP held the Congress party would have to do a lot of explaining for bailing out "anti-dalit" RJD government in Bihar.

Ridiculing the government's earlier decision to impose central rule in Bihar, the left parties attacked the Centre for wasting Parliament's time and resources debating over Bihar. "The government must now explain why it wasted Parliament's time over Bihar", remarked CPI leader and former home minister Indrajit Gupta.

The Congress party too did not lag behind in attacking the government for its "failure" to carry through the presidential proclamation. Congress Chief whip P J kurien said by not abiding by the constitutional requirement of taking the statutory resolution on President's rule to the Rajya sabha after its passage in Lok sabha, the ruling party has "undermined the authority of parliament and taken the Loksabha for a ride".

Official spokesperson of congress Ajit Jogi said his party would prefer a replacement of Rabri Devi as Chief Minister. He also said in response to a question that the Congress would offer issue-based support to the RJD government in Bihar.

In Patna, Rabri Devi termed as "victory of secular forces and people of Bihar" the cabinet's decision to revoke President's rule in the state.

The BJP, however, stuck to its guns and blamed the Congress for its volte face in the Bihar episode because of which the government failed to carry through the official resolution in Parliament.

Parliamentary affairs minister P R kumaramangalam said since it had become clear that the resolution would not be passed in the upper house , the government after making a ''last effort'' at talking to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, decided to revoke central rule in the state.

Even before the presidential signature, however, a constitutional debate has started over whether the revocation would mean statusquo ante (meaning automatic reinstatement of Rabri Devi along with her council of ministers).

Coming as it does for the first time in the history of independent India, the revocation decision has lent itself to differing interpretations. While one section is credited with the view that revocation meant complete status quo ante (automatic reinstallation of Rabri Devi as chief minister), the other section is of opinion that constitutional formalities like re-election of the legislature party leader (chief minister) and formal oath taking of the council of ministers was imperative.