Thursday, March 10 2005 10:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Janata Dal-United yesterday (Mar 9, 2005) asked Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan to muster the support of 67 MLAs to add to National Democratic Alliance (NDA's) strength in order to reach the majority mark in 243-member Bihar Assembly for Government formation.

"Let Paswan arrange the requisite number of 67 MLAs. We are ready with our 55 MLAs," senior JD-U leaders Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar told reporters in New Delhi.

Paswan, when approached for his comments, said it could be feasible only if JD-U promised to leave Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"It is a good development. A way can be found out. But the path seems to be difficult. First they have to leave BJP," Paswan told reporters.

Asked about LJP's stand in case Congress put up a Muslim for the Chief Minister's post in keeping with Paswan's suggestion that the top job should go the minority community, he said, "Let the proposal come."

Earlier, the two JD-U leaders welcomed the Supreme Court verdict on the trust vote in Jharkhand and thanked the court for "giving us justice".