Friday, April 1 2005 08:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ranchi: Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan, who yesterday (Mar 31, 2005) dissolved the Bihar unit of the party, hinted that parleys to form a popular Government there were on, but remained intransigent on joining hands with the Janata Dal United (JDU) unless it parted company with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Talks in politics at all levels always go on ... but if there is no outcome it is fruitless. The outcome depends on JDU snapping ties with the BJP," Paswan said in Ranchi when asked at what level discussions between the two parties were on.

Denying JDU leader, Prabhunath Singh's, claim that talks with the LJP were in an advanced stage, the Union Minister reiterated, "Formation of a Government in Bihar is possible only when JDU cuts off ties with the BJP."

Asked whether he preferred Presidential Rule in Bihar to an elected Government, he said, "There is nothing wrong in President's Rule. It is good that previous wrongdoings will be corrected."

Earlier, speaking to newsmen at the airport, Paswan said, "Our fight is not for the chair, but against the system and if anybody is in a hurry to form the Government (in Bihar) they can do so as everyone is independent to decide their own fate."

Stating that the party would support a Muslim Chief Minister of Bihar, Paswan said the two non-BJP and non-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) parties there were not in a position to form a Government as they had only 111 seats between them.