Thursday, May 12 2005 17:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In a change of stand aimed at breaking the deadlock in Bihar, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) today (May 12, 2005) said it was ready to reconsider its Opposition to taking support from RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) in Government formation if the Congress proposes a Muslim Chief Minister.

"If the Congress gives a Muslim candidate for the post of Chief Minister, we can reconsider our stand on taking RJD support in formation of Government in Bihar," LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, whose party with 29 MLAs holds the key to Government formation, told reporters in New Delhi.

LJP together with Congress (10), RJD (79) and Left parties (15) could be in a position to muster majority in the House of 243 if Laloo Prasad agrees with the proposal that the Chief Minister will not be from his party.

In an apparent dig at the RJD supremo, Paswan said he has taken the new stand to expose those who have exploited Muslims as vote bank and used secularism card to remain in power.

Paswan, who is reportedly under pressure from his MLAs and at the receiving end of JDU and RJD as being stumbling block in Government formation, also stuck to earlier stand of forming a Government with the help of JDU provided it severed its ties with BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and proposed a Muslim candidate for the Chief Minister's post.

"If the JDU comes out of NDA (National Democratic Alliance) after snapping ties with BJP and offer the CM's post to a Muslim, we have no objection," he said ahead of his meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi where he would discuss the possible permutations and combinations to install an elected Government in Patna.