Thursday, January 13 2005 17:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Amid strong signals from Congress for contesting 80 seats in Bihar, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) supremo Laloo Prasad today (Jan 13, 2005) hinted at "friendly fight" with the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) ally in some places but asserted that seat-sharing talks were still in progress among the UPA partners.

"We are trying to remove the irritants and want our secular allies--Congress, CPI (Communist Party of India), CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist), NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), JMM (Jharkand Mukti Morcha) and Marxist Coordination committee to fight unitedly in Bihar and Jharkhand," Prasad told reporters while indicating that friendly contests with the Congress could not be ruled out in Bihar.

When pointed out that the Congress had expressed its intention to contest 80 seats in Bihar, the RJD leader said, "We want the Congress and our other UPA partners to contest unitedly and talks are still on. They might be having their problems as we have our own. Five seats more or five seats less is immaterial but one thing is clear that it will have no adverse impact on the health of the UPA."

"We will, however, screen the winnability of the candidates of either side and do the needful even during the polls," he said indicating that candidates having the prospect of losing would be asked to opt out of the race.

He said his party was likely to release the first list of its candidates tomorrow, which is considered to be an auspicious day due to Makar-Sakranti.

The Congress is reported to have decided to contest 80 seats in Bihar and not to put up candidates against sitting MLAs of the RJD and the Left parties.

Prasad said during his talks with Congress President Sonia Gandhi yesterday, he had assured her that RJD's alliance with the Congress would continue unhindered and health of the UPA would remain intact.

Asserting that the RJD and its secular allies would inflict a "crushing defeat" on the BJP-led NDA in Bihar and Jharkhand, he accused the Samajwadi party and BSP (Bahujan Samajwadi Party) of fielding its candidates to split the secular votes to benefit the "communal alliance".

"Even the list of SP candidates is being finalised in consultation with the BJP," he charged and asserted that the NDA would be routed in both Bihar and Jharkhand in the coming Assembly polls.

Prasad is scheduled to hold parleys with leaders of the NCP and Left parties to hammer out a seat-sharing formula for Bihar tomorrow.