Time for Congress to decide on alliance, says Lalu Prasad
2 March 2014 11:19 PM GMT
‘Time for alliance has ended. Now it’s time to go to ground for political battle,’ Lalu Prasad said after arriving here Friday night from Delhi, where he was trying to finalise his party’s alliance with the Congress but no decision was taken.
On Saturday, the former Bihar chief minister told the media that he was still keen on an alliance with the Congress.
He said he offered it 11 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar and one seat to the Nationalist Congress Party, while his party will contest 28 seats. He said now it was time’for them to decide’.
‘I am supporter of the Congress and India. My party is still working with a mission to stop communal forces from coming to power,’ Lalu Prasad said. He made it clear that the RJD will start preparations for the general elections.
‘Now, there is no time to visit Delhi any more. I will focus and concentrate to get ready for poll campaigns,’ he said. He said it was not possible to hold talks on alliances while sitting in Delhi.
‘We will be in touch over telephone,’ he said.
Lalu Prasad said he was still hopeful of an alliance with the Congress, but said the responsibility for an alliance to defeat communal forces was not of his party alone. According to an RJD leader close to Lalu Prasad, seat-sharing talks with the Congress could not be finalised because two constituencies were the main bone of contention between the two parties. Although the Congress agreed to contest from 15 seats in Bihar and the RJD on 25 seats, the former is said to be eyeing the Madhubani and East Champaran constituencies and Lalu is in a dilemma over it, the RJD leader said.
On Saturday, the former Bihar chief minister told the media that he was still keen on an alliance with the Congress.
He said he offered it 11 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar and one seat to the Nationalist Congress Party, while his party will contest 28 seats. He said now it was time’for them to decide’.
‘I am supporter of the Congress and India. My party is still working with a mission to stop communal forces from coming to power,’ Lalu Prasad said. He made it clear that the RJD will start preparations for the general elections.
‘Now, there is no time to visit Delhi any more. I will focus and concentrate to get ready for poll campaigns,’ he said. He said it was not possible to hold talks on alliances while sitting in Delhi.
‘We will be in touch over telephone,’ he said.
Lalu Prasad said he was still hopeful of an alliance with the Congress, but said the responsibility for an alliance to defeat communal forces was not of his party alone. According to an RJD leader close to Lalu Prasad, seat-sharing talks with the Congress could not be finalised because two constituencies were the main bone of contention between the two parties. Although the Congress agreed to contest from 15 seats in Bihar and the RJD on 25 seats, the former is said to be eyeing the Madhubani and East Champaran constituencies and Lalu is in a dilemma over it, the RJD leader said.
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