Saturday, January 15 2005 15:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Despite friendly contests with his UPA (United Progressive Alliance) ally, the Congress, in the Bihar Assembly polls appearing inevitable, RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) President Laloo Prasad today (Jan 15, 2005) said that talks were still on with that party to minimise the split of secular votes.

Laloo, who went into a huddle with CPM (Communist Party of India Marxist) politburo member Sitaram Yechury, senior CPI (Communist Party of India) leader Gaya Singh, NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) General Secretary Tariq Anwar and newly-launched Indian Justice Party leader Udit Raj this morning, categorically denied that these parties had formed any separate front.

"We have come together only in order to defeat the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). We have formed no morcha or front," he said. "Although friendly contests with Congress are likely, we - as part of the effort to minimise split of secular votes, which may benefit the communal NDA in the elections - are holding negotiations on a seat to seat basis so that strong candidates are there to defeat the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and JD-U (Janata Dal-United) nominees," he said.

RJD leaders were still in touch with Congress to iron out differences, Laloo said. He took pains to explain that friendly fights would neither create bitterness nor would adversely affect the health of the Centre's ruling UPA "as we all stand for one cause - secularism".

Admitting that all major secular parties were flooded with applications from ticket aspirants which was delaying the release of the lists of their candidates, Laloo said that the RJD list would be released by January 17, the last date for filing nominations for 64 seats going to polls in the first phase on February 3.

Laloo said that weak candidates of the allied parties might be asked to withdraw or retire in favour of the strong ones even midway through the campaign.

CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said that his party would have no difficulty in arriving at a mutually acceptable seat-sharing arrangement with RJD as the two parties were jointly contesting a poll in Bihar for the fourth time.

He too felt that there could be friendly contests with the Congress at a few seats like Kahalgaon and Hisua, where the Marxists want to field their candidates. The Congress had yesterday announced to field Bihar Assembly Speaker Sadanand Singh from Kahalgaon and former Minister Aditya Singh from Hisua.

"Still we are holding talks to ensure presence of strong candidates of allied secular parties to defeat the communal NDA. I think the picture will become clear over the next couple of days," he said.