The Hindu : National : Paswan warned against getting support from BJP

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Sunday, Apr 03, 2005

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National

Paswan warned against getting support from BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

— PTI

A NEW ALLIANCE?: The JD (U) leader, Nitish Kumar, the Samajwadi Party MLA, Dadan Pehalwan, with the Lok Jan Shakti party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, after a meeting in Patna on Saturday.

NEW DELHI, APRIL 2. Almost all the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners have warned the Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) leader and Union Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, that they would not countenance any attempt on his part to put together a Ministry in Bihar with the direct or indirect support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These parties were reacting to the reports of Mr. Paswan inching closer to striking a "deal" with the Janata Dal (United) leader, Nitish Kumar.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Sitaram Yechury, told newsmen here that "it is a very unfortunate thing for the LJP to do. If the reports are true, you cannot negotiate with communal forces in Bihar and continue to remain a member of the UPA in the name of fighting communal forces at the Centre." Mr. Yechury described Mr. Paswan's labours as "a case of political opportunism" that "the people will not accept."

The Communist Party of India general secretary, A.B. Bardhan, was quoted as making similar observations in Chandigarh where his party is holding its 19th Congress.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too has warned Mr. Paswan that he cannot entertain Mr. Nitish Kumar as long as the JD (U) remains a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. "Come out of the NDA first, then we can talk," said D.P. Tripathi, a NCP general secretary.

The Congress, which had an alliance with the LJP for the Bihar Assembly elections, has been little less categorical in warning Mr. Paswan. The party's general secretary, Ambika Soni, said: "Who is meeting whom is not the issue. It is the right of leaders of political parties to meet and discuss. But, there is no arithmetic for formation of a government in Bihar." She pointed out that the Bihar Governor, Buta Singh, had said that he would consider inviting an individual or a group only if they have the support of 122 MLAs.

Ms. Soni said Mr. Paswan had declared that he would not take support from the BJP. "We believe his words."

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