New Delhi: Apparently embarrassed by the public spat between Union Ministers Laloo Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Dec 1, 2004) held talks with them separately in a damage-control exercise.

The Prime Minister, who after returning from abroad last night had indicated that he would look into the war of words, called Laloo and Paswan separately and is understood to have told them to be mindful of the fallout their war of words on the ruling coalition, sources said.

The exercise was held in the backdrop of reports that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) planned to raise the issue in Parliament tomorrow. The main Opposition party is demanding that both the Ministers be dropped and investigation launched into the charges made by them against each other.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also had a meeting with Laloo in Central Hall of Parliament soon after RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) members sought to raise in the Lok Sabha the allegations against Leader of the Opposition L K Advani made by his estranged daughter-in-law Gauri, triggering protests from the BJP members.

Congress, on its part, sought to downplay the spat dubbing it as "dynamics of regional politics" ahead of Bihar polls and in no way a reflection on the image and credibility of the Manmohan Singh Government.

Party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters that such issues could be sorted out in the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Coordination Committee meetings only.