Thursday, June 23 2005 16:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Ending all speculations, 21 of the 29 MLAs of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of the dissolved Bihar Assembly, who broke ranks to support the formation of a Government under Nitish Kumar, today (Jun 23, 2005) announced that they would join JDU (Janata Dal United).

The formal induction into JDU will take place at a function in Patna on July 7 in the presence of senior party leaders, expelled State LJP president Narendra Singh told a press conference in Patna.

Singh, was accompanied by 4 MLAs of the dissolved assembly belonging to his group, said the 21 LJP leaders included Rama Singh, Sheel Kumar Rai, Shankar Singh and Dhumal Singh who are currently lodged in different jails.

''There is no question of joining any other party as the 21 rebel LJP MLAs had sworn in an affidavit that they would join JDU,'' he said.

Criticising Governor Buta Singh, the LJP leader demanded his immediate recall for recommending dissolution of the assembly without giving a chance to the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to form the Government despite having required numbers.

Making light of Ram Vilas Paswan's 'recent love for Muslims and his persistent efforts to foist a Muslim Chief Minister in Bihar,' he said, ''Why is he (Paswan) not talking about unconditional release of incarcerated former Iraqi President Saddam Hussain who is being ill treated by the Americans in jail.''

The four LJP rebel MLAs of the dissolved assembly present at the press conference were Janak Singh, Rameshwar Paswan, Anil Kumar and Krishan Mohan Choudhary.