NCP pledges support to JD(U), RJD and Cong alliance in bypoll

PATNA: NCP today pledged unconditional support to JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance for the August 21 bypoll to 10 Assembly seats in Bihar to keep BJP away from power.

NCP General Secretary Tariq Anwar said the party is not contesting on any of the 10 seats but if the alliance wished, he and other NCP leaders would join the campaigning.

"We will support candidates of secular alliance," he told a press conference here.

NCP, he said, has been part of the secular alliance of UPA and had fought recent general election along with RJD and Congress. It would be part of any secular alliance that would be formed for the assembly election next year.

On Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's comment that Nitish Kumar would be the chief minister of the alliance after the 2015 Assembly poll, Anwar said the decision should be taken after the election.

"Its not proper to take such decision at this moment as this will create dispute among alliance partners."

He justified old rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar shunning hostility and joining hands. "Nitish Kumar got rid of BJP and has returned home."

"Nitish Kumar has come at the right place which is suited to his secular ideology," Anwar said in reaction to comments of new BJP President Amit Shah that he has taken a wrong decision by joining hands with Lalu Prasad.

In a scathing attack on BJP, the NCP leader said that the situation has changed now and results of bypoll on 10 seats in Bihar would prove it."

He said NCP would launch a membership drive from October 2 as part of the party's preparation for Bihar Assembly poll next year.