Saturday, January 15 2005 13:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Talks between the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), CPM (Communist Party of India Marxist) and NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) over the contentious issue of seat-sharing in Bihar remained deadlocked last night amid strong possibility of friendly fights among UPA (United Progressive Alliance) allies as the CPM said it intended to contest 14 seats in alliance with the RJD and Congress in the State.

The CPM leader, Sitaram Yechury, and NCP General Secretary, Tariq Anwar, held hour-long parleys with RJD supremo Laloo Prasad at Chief Minister Rabri Devi's official residence in Patna.

Later, RJD spokesman and State law Minister Shakeel Ahmed Khan, who too was present at the meeting, said that a final round of talks between his party boss, Yechuri and Anwar would take place today in the afternoon to resolve seat-sharing.

He hoped that leaders of other UPA constituents too would be participating in today's talks.

Khan said that his party would also release the list of its candidates today.

Earlier, Yechuri told reporters that the CPM intended to contest 14 seats in Bihar in alliance with RJD and Congress.

When his attention was drawn to reports about the Congress' inclination to put up candidates in 80 seats in Bihar, Yechuri said that all these matters would be discussed during his talks with Laloo Prasad.

The Marxists had won Bibhutipur and Khagaria seats in the last Assembly poll in 2000.