Sunday, May 22 2005 19:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ramvilas Paswan, faced with the prospect of a split in the legislature group of his party, today (May 22, 2005) paraded ten MLAs in New Delhi in his support after having an hour-long meeting with senior Congress leader Harikesh Bahadur during which the two leaders discussed a "proposal" on Government formation in Bihar.

Emerging from the meeting, Paswan told reporters that Bahadur, AICC (All India Congress Committee) general secretary in charge of Bihar, had come with a proposal "which I cannot disclose" on Government-formation in Bihar.

He maintained LJP's stand on a Muslim Chief Minister in Bihar and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) led by Railway Minister Laloo Prasad can support a Congress-led minority Government.

"I have no objection whether RJD gives inside or outside support so long it is a Muslim Chief Minister," Paswan said.

Bahadur said, "everything is under consideration and we want a UPA Government and whatever the UPA constituents decide will be accepted by Congress. We expect a decision soon."

Asked how many LJP MLAs are with Paswan, Bahadur said "more than ten." To a question whether Congress would take up the issue of Government formation with RJD, he said, "We will talk with everybody."

While parading the MLAs loyal to him, Paswan claimed that he has the support of two of his party MLAs who are in jail.

Four of LJP MLAs are now in jail in Bihar.

The MLAs presented before the media were: Pashupati Paras, Sunita Singh, Maheshwar Hazari, Poonam Yadav, Nagina Devi, Sunita Sharma, Mahendra Baitha, Anil Chowdhury, Dularchand Yadav and Achutanand Singh.