NEW DELHI, 13 May 2005 — In a first sign of a possible rapprochement that could lead to government formation in Bihar, Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan yesterday proposed a Congress-led government along with Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, but only for a Muslim chief minister.
“If the Congress proposes a Muslim chief minister, then taking (Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal) RJD in concert to form a secular government in Bihar can be considered,” Paswan told reporters here.
In a 45-minute meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief urged that the Congress take the lead in forming a government in Bihar, where a fractured electoral verdict in February and sharp political divides have defeated all attempts to cobble a credible majority.
“The people have given the key to LJP, so we have proposed a Congress-led government with the backing of all secular parties. Those who don’t support such a government will only betray their questionable secular credentials.”
Paswan, who has been facing some resentment from his own legislators for holding out in the power battle, said Sonia had agreed to consider the proposal even as the RJD flatly rejected it. He asserted that the chief minister of the state had to be from the minority community. “People don’t want another election in Bihar. All secular parties should sacrifice for the sake of stopping communal forces.”
When it was pointed out that Lalu Prasad had insisted on his wife Rabri Devi as chief minister of any Congress-RJD government and the Congress had extended support under these circumstances, he said: “The Congress had supported the RJD when it was impossible for it to form a government.”
This is the first time Paswan has softened his stubborn refusal to have anything to do with Lalu Prasad, with whom he fought last year’s general elections, but fell out over the railway portfolio and ended up taking him on during the February assembly polls.
The LJP has 29 seats in the 243-member Bihar assembly and holds the key to a popular government in the state, which has been under president’s rule since March 7.
The Janata Dal-United has 55 seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 37. The RJD has 75 seats and enjoys the support of 10 Congress legislators and eight members of smaller parties as well as some of the 17 Independent legislators.
Neither the BJP-led opposition nor the Congress-RJD alliance has been able to muster a majority to take power. Paswan’s refusal to tie up with RJD or BJP has led to the deadlock. Of late, his newly elected legislators have practically revolted against his refusal to relent to any combine, feeling frustrated at being kept out of power.
