Paswan to play waiting game in Bihar

The LJP chief is unfazed by the attacks on him and says he will not take any initiative immediately for formation of a government in Bihar.

Seen by both the major formations as a villain who was responsible for President's rule in Bihar, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan is unfazed by the attacks on him and says he will not take any initiative immediately for formation of a government in the state.

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But his attitude will be "positive" if somebody takes the initiative for a secular alternative.

After a month under President's rule and if there was a possibility of putting together a non-RJD, non-BJP combine, then he feels Congress can be convinced to ditch RJD, which has already become "untouchable" in Bihar.

Paswan ruled out leaving the UPA or backing RJD heading a government in Bihar minus Lalu Prasad or Rabri Devi as chief minister. He also disfavoured fresh elections.

"No. I am talking of the party (RJD). Lalu means RJD. RJD means Lalu. I will not tie up with RJD at any time. That is final," he said in reply to a question whether there was a possibility of his party, LJP which has 29 MLAs, accepting an RJD-led government under a new leader.

Asked how long would he expect the President's rule to continue, the LJP leader said the Central rule has just come. "Let us see for a month how it works. I will consider taking the initiative after a month," he said.

"For that, JD (U) will have to come out of the clutches of BJP. Then the numbers will fall in place," he said claiming support of MLAs belonging to CPI (ML), SP, BSP, CPI, NCP and Independents. JD (U) with 55 and LJP's 29 will make the nucleus of this combination, he added.

"In that case we can easily convince Congress to come out of RJD's grip and support a secular government," he said, adding "my attitude will be positive if some secular formation takes the initiative".

Asked why Congress rushed with its letter of support to RJD for formation of a government, Paswan said Lalu Prasad was "blackmailing" Congress for giving support in Jharkhand as a quid pro quo in Bihar.

To a question whether Congress was asking him to patch up with Lalu Prasad for forming a government in Bihar, he said "No. I have assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that it (LJP-RJD tussle) will not affect UPA as every state has its own compulsion and state issues should not be brought to national politics."

"If I leave UPA then the signal will go that I am siding with communal forces. So the question (of quitting UPA) does not arise," he said, adding "we can't betray Muslims".

He said there was also no possibility of taking "either inside or outside" support of BJP. He also dismissed as BJP-RJD propaganda that his MLAs were restive for power and that they would desert him if there was a prolonged delay in government formation.

Parrying a question as to when he saw the possibility of the deadlock being broken, Paswan said "my whole attention is to see how Bihar can be put back on the rails and people's life and property protected."

He said his political priority was now to consolidate the Dalit-Muslim combination that worked magic for him in the elections. His priority was also to make a Muslim the chief minister and he was not interested in the post.

Asked why he broke with Lalu Prasad after fighting the Lok Sabha elections with him, Paswan said "then there was the compulsion of having to oust the NDA regime for which Sonia Gandhi came to my residence. I was not with Lalu Prasad."