Wednesday, June 1 2005 08:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Seeking to keep cards close to his chest on the contentious issue of alliance with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allies, particularly Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) president Ramvilas Paswan yesterday (May 31, 2005) said the party national executive would decide it "at an appropriate stage".

However, he said he favoured a poll tie-up with his old ally, Congress, besides the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), if they desired so.

Talking to reporters on his arrival by a special flight from New Delhi after dissolution of the State Assembly, Paswan said, "Don't force me to open my cards on the issue of alliance with other parties in advance".

"The issue of alliance is crucial and the national executive of the party will decide it at an appropriate time, possibly in October or first week of November," he said.

"I will like to make one thing clear at this stage that the Congress is my old ally as it contested the last Assembly poll with us and we are open to an alliance with it if the party leaders intend so," he said while replying to queries on the possibility of his party aligning with other UPA partners, particularly RJD in the coming elections.

Stating that there was no UPA in Bihar, he said his party was also ready for an alliance with the CPI-ML (Liberation), which had extended its support to his bid for installation of non-RJD and non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Bihar, besides the CPI and CPM, provided they put forth any such proposal.

To a specific question on whether he would have any truck with the RJD in the coming poll, Paswan said, "Please don't force me to talk about it."