LJP not to allign RJD: Paswan

tags:Politics

New Delhi--LJP supremo Ramvilas Paswan has firmly ruled out aligning with the Lalu Prasad-led RJD but stated that he was adopting a "wait and watch" approach on forging an alliance with the Congress in the coming Bihar Assembly elections.

"I will never go with the RJD. I still stick to the stand of not supporting the RJD or the NDA. I can't go against the wishes of the people of Bihar who are anti-RJD and anti NDA," Paswan said after holding parleys with CPI leader D Raja, RSP leader Aboni Roy and Forward Bloc General Secretary Debrata Biswas.

The CPI(ML), which is also a part of this alliance, was not present at the meeting.

Asked about the Congress decision to go with the RJD, Paswan said, "I am also awaiting the Congress response. In Bihar the UPA does not mean only the RJD."

"The RJD has only CPI (M) with it while our front has four of the UPA allies. It's for the Congress to take the decision," he added.

Paswan said he had already clarified that the UPA was a coalition at the Centre and it should not be mixed up with state politics.

Meanwhile, Congress in-charge of Bihar Digvijay Singh has said a broad understanding had been reached with RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on seat-sharing, ''but we will for wait the Election Commission Notification (to announce the seats to be contested).''

"The talks could not have been smoother... there were no contentious issue. The last round of talks would be held sometime today or tomorrow," Singh said

The LJP leader recalled that the RJD had earlier fought the election against the Congress in Bihar and Jharkhand.

He claimed that during his election meetings he has found that the RJD's hold was over in Bihar while the NDA had no future in the state.

Raja said the third force would fight against both the ''15 year-misrule'' of the RJD and the ''fascist BJP''.

He said the talks between all the four parties were on track and seat sharing talks were in final stages in Patna. The CPI state unit was handling the issue.

"e are united as a rock. Our alliance will fight all the 243 seats. The seat sharing talks are in the final stages and we will soon announce the decision."