LJP rider on tie-up with JD-U in Bihar

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) today clarified it would consider having an electoral understanding with the JD-U in the next assembly poll in Bihar if the latter severed its ties with the BJP, LJP National President and Union Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said.

"We will consider any proposal from the key NDA constituent JD-U for firming up an alliance only when the latter breaks its relations with the saffron party," he told reporters here.

Stating that he had not yet spoken to JD-U leaders on the contentious issue of an alliance, he said the next elections in Bihar would be fought on a "secular versus secular" plank.

He said his party was prepared to contest the coming assembly polls on its own. "We have already finalised the candidates for almost half the 243 assembly seats in advance", he said.

JD-U parliamentary party leader Nitish Kumar had said his party favoured an alliance with anti-Lalu forces to end the "RJD misrule".