JEDDAH, 18 January 2005 — Differences between the Congress party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar are “minor” and will be sorted out amicably between the two long-time allies, says senior Congress leader and Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Azad, who is leading a 36-member Haj goodwill delegation from India, arrived here Sunday.
Speaking about the forthcoming assembly elections in Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana, Azad said his party’s performance would reach new heights under the leadership of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. He expressed confidence about Congress victory in Haryana and its alliance’s victory in Jharkhand.
On the differences that emerged over seat sharing with the RJD in Bihar, Azad said: “There are only minor differences, and these issues should not be blown out of proportion. We continue to remain together and there is no threat to the government at the Center.”
Azad said Bihar strongman Lalu Prasad is a committed secularist and a die-hard opponent of divisive forces.
“Lalu Yadav is one of our trusted allies. He is a committed secularist with the guts to challenge and defeat divisive forces. In his commitment for secularism Lalu is unparalleled. He will never do anything which in anyway will benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies.
“We have discussed all issues relating to seat sharing and our effort is to ensure that all secular forces come together in Bihar to counter the communal forces,” Azad said.
Lalu is willing to leave just 35 seats to Congress in Bihar, whereas Congress wants to contest 80 seats out of Bihar’s 243 seats. After failing to strike a deal, Congress decided to contest 80 seats in the Feb. 3 assembly elections in Bihar. However, the party left its doors open for talks with like-minded parties for an alliance.
Azad also pointed out that it was Congress that came to Lalu’s rescue when the BJP-led federal government was trying to dislodge RJD’s government in the state.
“When the lower house of Parliament had passed a resolution for the dismissal of the RJD government in Bihar, it was Congress which blocked it in the upper house and saved the state government,” he said.
About Indo-Saudi relations, Azad said: “Our relationship is scaling new heights with the advent of the Congress-led government at the center, which gives great importance to its ties with the Kingdom.”
Azad reiterated India’s commitment to further improving its relations with Saudi Arabia. “Since our government came to power, a number of high-level visits have taken place between India and Saudi Arabia,” Azad said. The interaction has increased between the two nations at both political and economic levels.
The minister said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sent an invitation to Crown Prince Abdullah to visit India. He added that the crown prince’s visit would give a new dimension to India’s relationship with the Kingdom and add a new chapter to “our glorious age-old ties with this part of the world.”
