LS polls: Rahul Gandhi meets Bihar Congress leaders, no decision on tie-up

NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi today held discussions with Congress leaders from Bihar on the Lok Sabha elections early next year but there was no decision on the issue of alliances in the crucial state.

"The issue of alliances did come up for discussion but no decision was taken. There will be some more discussions on the issue before the party finally decides whether to go it alone or align with any party," Congress sources said.

Congress is warming up with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) in recent months after parting ways with BJP in the state as also the NDA at the national level.

Lalu Prasad's RJD has been an outside supporter of UPA-II since 2009 and was a key constituent of the ruling alliance at the Centre from 2004 to 2009.

RJD, which is facing a difficult situation since Lalu was sent to jail recently in a fodder scam case, is also wooing Congress.

The review meeting with the Congress Vice President also decided that Congress President Sonia Gandhi will address a rally in Kishangunj next month and Rahul Gandhi in January end in Patna.

Besides CLP leader Sadanand Singh and PCC Chief Ashok Chaudhary, the meeting was attended by AICC General Secretaries C P Joshi and Janardan Dwivedi and Political Secretary to Congress President Ahmed Patel.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of attempts by BJP to widen its reach in the state soon after Narendra Modi was made its prime ministerial candidate.

Congress has been out of power in Bihar since 1989 in the wake of the Mandal and the Mandir surge.