Drubbed at home, Lalu wants to test political waters in UP

NEW DELHI: Unfazed by two consecutive poll drubbings in its bastion Bihar, RJD is planning to test political waters in Uttar Pradesh by fielding candidates at some seats in the upcoming Assembly elections.

RJD President Lalu Prasad said he has asked his party leaders in Uttar Pradesh to make an assessment on the number of seats that it could contest and send him names of potential candidates.

"They (UP unit) have been asked to assess the situation," he told PTI.

"After getting the report, I will decide whether to contest and on how many seats," he added.

Asked about the number of seats the party could contest, Prasad was evasive, saying it all depended on the kind of feedback he got from the UP unit.

He, however, ruled out any tie-up with the Congress. The RJD has witnessed severe drubbing during the last two successive assembly elections in Bihar and has fared badly even in Lok Sabha polls.

The former chief minister, whose party ruled Bihar for 15 years before NDA snatched power from it in 2005, refused to speak on the performance of the Nitish Kumar government.

"The voters have asked RJD to sit in the Opposition and we are abiding by it," he merely observed.

He, however, said the media is unable to bring out the truth about the way the state is being run under NDA.