New Delhi: Apparently mounting pressure for key portfolios, the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) today (May 20, 2004) linked participation in the Manmohan Singh-led coalition Government to an economic package for Bihar, a move that prompted senior Congress leaders rushing to mollify its chief Laloo Prasad Yadav.

At a two-hour meeting of the RJD Parliamentary Party, MPs insisted that the Congress-led Government should promise that it would give Bihar its due following the bifurcation of the State and unless such an assurance was given, RJD would not take part in the Government, senior party MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh told reporters.

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As the meeting failed to arrive at a consensus on whether to join the Government, it once again authorised their leader to take a decision on the matter.

Soon after the meeting, Yadav's aides spread the news that the RJD supremo was suddenly leaving for Patna, leaving scores of party-men and media-persons wondering about the move, amid speculation that he was bargaining for Home Ministry in the Manmohan Singh Government. Yadav, however, denied it.

As the news spread like wild fire, senior Congress leader Arjun Singh sent his emissary who was denied an audience by a reluctant Laloo. Then Singh himself drove to Yadav's residence and he was soon joined by another senior Congress leader R K Dhawan.

As the duo was closeted with Yadav, a word came that Congress President Sonia Gandhi wanted to have a telephonic talk with the Bihar leader over the matter.