Nitish Kumar declines comment on third front

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the JD(U) would take a call in October on joining an alliance or going alone in the Lok Sabha elections, but his party would participate in the rally organised by the Left parties in Delhi later this month.

Kumar was evasive on the possibility of a tie-up with Congress which was seen reaching out to JD(U) after it parted ways with BJP.

"I have already said right now we are busy with our party programme at grass root level...we will take a call on an alliance or to go alone in the 2014 polls at our party convention at the end of October," he told reporters emerging from a "Janata ke Darbar mein Mukhya Mantri" programme.

Asked about talks with Mulayam Singh Yadav or Congress on an alliance, he answered in negative.

On a question that his party leader Shivanand Tiwari has ruled out any alliance with Congress, he said "Everybody has his or her opinion, but there has been no talk on it at any level now."

Kumar, however, said the party has received an invitation from the Left about a rally in New Delhi on October 30, adding "We have accepted it. Not me, but some party leaders will attend it."

Asked about his earlier criticism of Congress for corruption and price rise and whether he has changed his views now, the Chief Minister did not give a direct reply, saying everything would be decided at the party forum in October-end.

To another question that he has always been anti-Congress and would it be possible for him to go along with the party, Kumar blamed BJP for "killing" the prevailing anti-Congress mood in the country.