Lalu tries UPA's patch-up with SP

The meeting assumes significance as the RJD chief is making efforts to bring both parties close at a time when the UPA government is looking for survival.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and is understood to have discussed the issues related to the impasse over the Indo-US nuclear deal.

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The meeting assumes significance as Prasad is reportedly making efforts to bring Congress and Samajwadi Party close at a time when the UPA is looking at the party led by Mulayam Singh Yadav for survival of the government.

Prasad dropped enough hints about his efforts to woo Samajwadi Party earlier in the day when he hailed it as a secular party.

"Samajwadi Party has a wide popular base, it is secular and socialist," Prasad told reporters after signing of an MoU between Railway Ministry and Kerala government for setting up a joint venture.

Indicating that he was seeking Samajwadi Party's support, Prasad said, "after seeing everything (it is clear that) no political party can form government on its own."

When referred to Gandhi's call to party cadres to prepare for elections, the RJD chief said, "preparation for elections is very much on and every political party is into it. All parties including mine are preparing for the coming Lok Sabha elections. We have to do it."

Taking a dig at BJP which has released its first list of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, he said some parties are "too eager for power."

"BJP seems to be running ahead because it has already declared its candidates. But they will be disappointed after the results," he said.

Blaming the rising oil prices for the rapid market fluctuation, he said Finance Minister Chidambaram cannot do much in this situation.

"We have taken a series of steps for farmers and railways have made a great effort in transporting foodgrains to everywhere in the country," he said.