While declaring their loyalty to Sonia Gandhi, their resolution blames those leaders within the party who ``masterminded the plot and forced the leadership to take this decision.'' They claimed that certain leaders, ``jealous'' of Sonia's goodwill had ``maligned'' the party's image.

At a meeting attended by BPCC chief Sadanand Singh, party general secretaries Shyam Singh Dheeraj, Mubarak Husain and Ram Jatan Sinha, leaders asked her to ``reconsider'' her stand. Leaders said that only a few months ago, senior leader Madhav Rao Scindia, during his visit to Chapra, had urged the rank and file to keep the heat on RJD and mobilise public opinion against Laloo Prasad Yadav.

The BPCC leaders requested the party chief not to leave them at Laloo's mercy.

Meanwhile, in an apparent bid tokeep the Bihar flock together, AICC general secretary Sushil Kumar Shinde told PTI said the party expected the RJD to take note of Sonia's statement following the Jehanabad massacre.She had said that those who failed to protect the Dalits had no moral authority to govern, indicating that the Congress preferred a change in leadership. Shinde, however, added that the party had not put up any condition on the issue. Yesterday, Laloo had ruled out possibility of a change in leadership in Bihar. Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi said that it was for the RJD to decide on the leadership issue.