Monday, February 28 2005 13:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Terming as "ridiculous" the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Laloo Prasad's statement that his party would stake claim to form the Government in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Feb 28, 2005) said it had kept open all options, including a post-poll alliance with Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), to cobble up a majority to form the next Government.

"The mandate is absolutely against RJD misrule and Laloo Prasad's party has been outrightly rejected by the people," BJP national vice-president Sushil Kumar Modi said in Patna.

"We have kept all options open to form the Government with support of independents and those MLAs opposed to the 'Terror Raj' of the RJD," he said.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as the largest group has the "full constitutional right to form the Government," and Governor Buta Singh "should give us the chance first to prove out majority in the State Assembly," he said.

Asked whether the NDA would approach LJP president Ramvilas Paswan to seek support for forming the Government, Modi said "We are exploring ways to form our Government and establishing contact with the LJP is also one among them."

Rubbishing Laloo's claim that he had the required number of MLAs to cross the magic figure of 122 to form the next Government, Modi said, "We hope that the Governor will discharge his constitutional duty and invite us first (to form the Government)."

Most of the independents who have won are anti-Laloo and would definitely side with the NDA, he claimed.

The BJP leader also dismissed Laloo's claim that the RJD had pre-poll alliance with the Congress. "If it is correct, why did Congress president Sonia Gandhi refrain from a joint campaign with the RJD? Neither is there an official word from the Congress about their pre-poll alliance with the RJD."

The NDA central leaders would sit in New Delhi today and decide the future course of action (about staking claim to form the Government), he said.