'Tickets to Lalu kin did us in'

Unwise selection of candidates in the February Assembly elections, cost the RJD the chance of forming a government in the state, Union Rural Development Minister and senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told BBC Hindi Service today.

Singh had earlier said giving tickets to Prasad's brothers-in-law, for instance, cost the party a chance to come to power in the state. However, this is the first time he made this criticism public, indicating Prasad is going to give seats more judiciously this time if Singh has his way.

"The UPA constituents have learnt from their mistakes and have realised that split of secular votes in Bihar only hurts the voter. This time we will try to forge a wide unity among secular votes," he said hinting at talks with Lok Janashakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan, without naming him.

Asked why the RJD lost its traditional hold over Bihar in February Assembly elections, the senior party leader said, "Let me disclose this now. We did not fare badly because of public anger, but internal reasons. Our ticket allotment was not fully correct, as I am saying we have learnt our lessons. The NDA was lucky then, not any more".

Dismissing the NDA charge that the Bihar governor had acted in a partisan manner by recommending the dissolution of the Assembly, Singh asked, "Why did the NDA not stake claim to form a government for three months if they had the numbers?"

The only party which staked claim to to form the government was the RJD. Instead of staking claim, the NDA went to the governor to request him not to invite the RJD."

"According to the NDA, if they are not allowed to split parties and poach MLAs, then it is a violation of the Constitution. Why were they afraid to stake a claim to form the government for three months, when they claim that the verdict was against the RJD?" Singh said.