CALCUTTA, 5 June 2005 — Communist Party of India (Marxist) elder statesman Jyoti Basu said that the party will strive to usher in a secular government in Bihar after the October-November re-election.
He made this statement while speaking to reporters after the CPI (M)’s central committee meeting.
“The problem is that the secular vote in Bihar got divided between Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lok Janshakti Party, Congress and communist parties almost bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party-Janata Dal combination to power there” said Basu.
“But now we are determined to forge a secular alliance before the re-election. We are holding talks with all secular parties to avert division of votes”, he added.
Basu said RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav must rise above his own party for the sake of secular unity in the eastern state.
Significantly, Basu supported the imposition of president’s rule in Bihar in March after neither of the two alliances, National Democratic Alliance or United Progressive Alliance had the numbers to form the government.
Lalu Prasad’s RJD emerged as the largest single party with 75 MLAs backed by 10 Congress legislators and some smaller groups.
But it fell short of the magic figure of 122 needed to form a government in the politically significant eastern state.
The BJP and JD (U) grabbed 92 seats and Ram Vilas Paswan with 29 MLAs emerged as the kingmaker as his support was crucial for either of the two coalitions to claim a majority.
The parties are now in the process of setting up their electoral strategies for fresh elections.
