Sunday, May 29 2005 20:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders Nitish Kumar and Arun Jaitley today (May 29, 2005) alleged that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Laloo Prasad was shying away from early polls to Bihar Assembly, as he knew that if it were held at an early date the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance would be the gainer.

Laloo Prasad is taking the help of the administration to impress upon the Election Commission that it would not be feasible to hold the polls before November using the plea of likely floods, Kumar told newsmen at the Patna airport.

''We want the Assembly elections to be held in July as floods never occur in that month. Today the administration is using the pretext of flooded by the State Government's plea for polls in November but set the date for July, he said it had been held just two-and-half months ago and everything was in readiness.

Both leaders said rebel Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MLAs would be welcomed to the NDA fold and accommodated.

''The rebel LJP MLAs bid to form a Government in Bihar is praiseworthy. They had revolted against the tyranny of the LJP President Ramvilas Paswan. They will be accommodated in the NDA, as they had made a bid to form a Government in Bihar and will be given their due,'' Kumar said.

Jaitely, who is BJP's in-charge of Bihar affairs, echoing him said NDA would romp home if the polls are held in July and asked the EC not to be guided by the State administrations plea for November polls.

Governor Buta Singh suggested dissolution of the Assembly on the grounds 'horse trading' when Kumar was ready to form the Government. ''Chunoa sarkar banane ke liye hoti hai na kibhang karne ke liye (Elections are held for formation of a Government and not for dissolution of the house).''

BJP and Janata Dal United (JDU) are prepared to take on the might of RJD in the coming Assembly elections. ''We are prepared to take on the RJD both on legal and political fronts,'' he said besides filing a case in Supreme Court, the NDA would contest the next elections in tandem.

Kumar demanded a CBI probe into the flood relief scam, in which the State vigilance department had filed an FIR against former Patna District Magistrate Gautam Goswami and 27 others yesterday (May 28, 2005).

A CBI probe into the flood relief scam was a must as the vigilance department was working under duress and could not book the actual culprits, he added.