Ram Vilas Paswan joining hands with BJP does not seem possible: Tariq Anwar

PATNA: Ram Vilas Paswan joining hands with BJP does not seem possible as he had left NDA in 2002 decrying Narendra Modi over the post-Godhra riots issue, NCP leader Tariq Anwar said today.

Amid intense speculation of Ram Vilas Paswan walking out of the alliance to join hands with BJP, Anwar said it does not seem possible.

"He had left NDA in 2002 over Narendra Modi's role in Godhra riots and decried him...it does not seems possible that he will join the same party whose Prime Ministerial candidate is the same Narendra Modi," the NCP leader said.

He, however ,expressed confidence that LJP will remain part of the secular alliance comprising Congress, RJD, NCP and LJP.

Terming that the delay in announcement of seat sharing between them due to some procedural issues, he said, that it will be in place before announcement of schedule of general elections.

"Talks are going on. Settling some procedural issues like seat adjustments among partners takes time," Anwar told reporters.

Anwar, who came to Patna for a conference on food processing industries in the same plane with RJD President Lalu Prasad this morning, said he had discussion with him over the subject.

"There is enough time left... Election dates have not yet been announced...Everything will be in place within time," the NCP General Secretary said.

"The alliance will be announced before declaration of election schedule," he said when reminded earlier that he had said announcement will come after the end of Parliamentary session.

NCP, which is also a partner in the secular alliance, has demanded two Lok Sabha seats out of 40 in Bihar.

Tariq, who is Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing, is all set to contest polls from his traditional Katihar seat.

On crisis in RJD, he said it is an "internal" matter of Lalu Prasad's party.