Saturday, May 21 2005 20:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan today (May 21, 2005) hinted at the involvement of both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the attempts to break his party to form the next Government in Bihar but said the plans to split his party would not succeed.

"I don't know exactly. But both NDA and RJD could be behind it as the path on which the LJP was traversing was not favourable to both," Paswan told reporters in New Delhi when asked on reported confinement of some of his MLAs in Bihar at a posh hotel in Jamshedpur.

At the same time, he insisted that the development would not lead to a split in the party, as "they will not be able to muster a majority of two-third needed for the purpose".

Paswan's comments came soon after party General Secretary Nagmani left LJP accusing the Union Minister of "intransigence" in installing a Janata Dal United (JDU)-led anti-RJD Government in Bihar.

Paswan was scathing in his criticism of the RJD, accusing Railway Minister and RJD chief Laloo Prasad of not favouring installation of anyone other than his wife Rabri Devi as Chief Minister of Bihar.

"I had given a formula of Congress-led secular Government to be headed by a Muslim. He (Laloo) ruled Bihar for 15 years with Congress support and in the name of secularism but when it came to supporting a Muslim Chief Minister, he backed out," Paswan said.

In a veiled attack on RJD, he said it was for the people to decide who were those who were strengthening the BJP and the NDA.

The LJP chief was also critical of the appointment of former Bihar Chief Secretary Arun Pathak as Advisor to Governor Buta Singh and transfer of "upright" District Collectors of Siwan and Gopalganj.