Sunday, March 20 2005 18:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mysore: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan today (March 20, 2005) said the ball was in the court of JDU (Janata Dal United) on formation of a popular Government in Bihar, which is under President's rule after the Assembly polls threw up a hung Assembly, but insisted that it must come out of NDA (National Democratic Alliance).

Maintaining that there was no going back on his "firm" stand that he would have no truck with either the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) or the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), he told reporters that a combination of parties could pave the way for formation of a Government.

In the 243-member house, RJD had 74 and BJP 37 which came to 111 and still there were others who together could see that a popular Government was installed, Paswan who had emerged as a kingmaker in the polls said.

"The ball is in the court of JDU and its leader Nitish Kumar and when he leaves NDA, the very next day, the popular Government could be formed in Bihar", he said.

To a query, Paswan said after the imposition of the President's rule, he had not talked with JDU leader Nitish Kumar on Government formation.

The Union Minister said there was no point in blaming him as being responsible for the President's rule as he had made his stand clear right from the beginning.

Answering a query, Paswan said he would not indicate as to how soon the President's rule would end. "The ball is in the court of JDU which commands 55 seats".