Sunday, April 3 2005 16:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Apparently rejecting JDU Chief Ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar's missive to non-RJD parties eliciting their support for forming a popular Government, LJP president Ramvilas Paswan today (Apr 3, 2005) said there was ''no no relevance'' to it as long as the JDU continued its bond of friendship with the saffron party.

''There is absolutely no relevance of the letter purported to have been written by Kumar seeking LJP (Lok Janshakti Party)'s support for Government formation as long as JDU (Janata Dal United) continues its bond of friendship with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party),'' Paswan told a press conference on the sidelines of second day of his party's conclave in Patna to review the poll outcome and explore ways for installing a Government minus RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and BJP.

''Even we have not gone through the text of the letter after we came to know that there is no mention about JDU's position on continuing its ties with the saffron party,'' he said.

Nitish Kumar had yesterday sent separate letters to six non-RJD parties, including LJP and 17 independents with a copy of a Common Minimum Programme.

'Govt formation is secondary issue'

Stating that the LJP treated the issue of Government formation ''secondary one'', Paswan said his party wanted to ensure peace and social harmony. ''Feeling of insecurity among the people is being addressed to. There is improvement in law and order and steps have also been taken to improve civic amenities under President's rule,'' Paswan said, describing President's rule as ''a panacea'' of Bihar problems.

While reacting to reports appearing in a section of the press that the LJP had softened its stand on the issue of taking support from the BJP to form the Government, Paswan said, ''my statement in Ranchi a couple of days ago on the issue was altogether in a different context and it was distorted and wrongly projected''.

Paswan had in Ranchi reportedly said that the JDU should first sever ties with the BJP and the issue of taking inside or outside support from the BJP would be decided later.

He said that there was no change in his stance on having no truck with either the RJD or BJP.

''Another issue of paramount importance was making a Muslim leader the Chief Minister on which we are adamant,'' he said.

When his attention was drawn to CPM (Communist Party of India-Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechuri's statement questioning continuance of Paswan in the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) after his meeting with Nitish Kumar at the residence of Samajwadi Party president Dadan Singh yesterday, Paswan said such reactions were ''quite natural'' as it was ''a bare fact'' that the JDU was still on good terms with the BJP.

''Also my statement in Ranchi on the issue of taking support was distorted and falsely placed in a section of press which led to the criticism from the UPA allies,'' he said while refusing to comment on the Congress' stand on continuing its alliance with the RJD.

Seeks change in civil & police administration

Appreciating the work being carried out under President's rule, the LJP leader urged Governor Buta Singh also to effect reshuffle in civil and police administration at the lower level to accelerate the pace of development and improve law and order.

Paswan said a party delegation led by him would call on Governor this evening to submit a memorandum seeking immediate reshuffle in civil and police administration from the block to district level as also stringent punitive action against the officials still enjoying patronage of the RJD and trying to defame the President's rule.

He said stern action should also be taken against the officials found to be involved in embezzlement of funds under the Indira Awas Yojana and welfare schemes launched by the Centre and the State Government.

He thanked the district magistrate of Gopalganj and district magistrate and SP of Siwan for taking bold initiative with respect to externment of senior RJD leaders having criminal antecedents and urged the Governor not to shift such officials ''under pressure''.