JD(U) says non-Congressism a passe, hints at realignment

Asked about the possibility of JD(U) supporting the Congress leader for Rajya Sabha, Tyagi was evasive saying "no such initiative or proposal has come to us from Congress till now.

"If it comes, our leadership-- Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav -- will take a decision."

Tyagi at the same time said that the party welcomes the decisions of the Congress to support the JD(U) government twice and the indications from Congress state leadership meeting in Patna on Thursday.

"All this points out to their (Congress') changed attitude," Tyagi said.

A party leader, however, felt that the JD(U) leadership is unlikely decline any request made by Congress President Sonia Gandhi or somebody close to her.

But some difficulties still remain. When pointed out that JD(U)'s arch rival RJD chief Lalu Prasad is already an ally of Congress and he had also recently attended a meeting of the UPA Coordination Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi, Tyagi said, "it will be difficult for JD(U) to have ties with any party if it remains with Lalu Prasad."

Earlier there was media speculation that the two bitter rivals in Bihar politics --Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar -- can come together and JD (U) could help Prasad's wife Rabri Devi become a member of Rajya Sabha. While Prasad could not contest Lok Sabha poll this time due to his conviction in a fodder scam case, his wife Rabri and daughter Misa lost.

However, the JD(U) later ruled out any such possibility. On Wednesday, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee in a meeting reviewed the drubbing of the party in the state with leaders and candidates ruing the tie-up with Prasad's RJD and proposed either an understanding with the JD(U) or going it alone in the assembly polls next year.

Notwithstanding this, RJD chief Prasad has asserted that despite the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, his party's alliance with Congress would continue. Congress had lent support of its four MLAs to the JD(U) government in Bihar after the ruling party had walked out of NDA in June last year snapping its 17-year old ties with the BJP.

RJD managed to win four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar on its own while its partner Congress won two seats. NCP bagged one. JD(U) slumped to two seats from 20 it had won in 2009. BJP, LJP and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party alliance cornered 31 out of a total of 40 LS seats in the state.