Sunday, September 4 2005 14:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: The Congress yesterday (Sept 3, 2005) admitted that Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ram Vilas Paswan's strident advocacy of a Muslim Chief Minister (CM) for Bihar as a pre-condition for his fighting the upcoming assembly polls alongside United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners would benefit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but said any decision on removing his party from the centre's ruling coalition would be taken by the UPA Chairperson.

"Paswan's proposal of a Muslim CM is unworkable and unviable. His pre-condition for fighting the polls with other UPA constituents only if his proposal was accepted will strengthen the NDA at the cost of the UPA. But any decision on removing the LJP from the UPA will be taken by its Chairperson Sonia Gandhi," Congress General Secretary in-charge of Bihar, Digvijay Singh, said while responding to reporters' queries.

Singh said Paswan should realise that the issue of defeating the 'communal and fundamentalist forces' was more important than having a Muslim Chief Minister. "Moreover, discussing the Chief Ministership issue even before having a majority will not serve any purpose."

He said the Congress wanted a 'total' alliance among its UPA allies this time, leaving no scope for friendly contests, "We want a joint candidate for every seat, a joint campaign and even a joint manifesto," he said, adding, the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had agreed to fight the upcoming polls together.

"Despite Paswan's repeated assertions about not having any truck with RJD, our efforts to persuade him are on and we will also approach the Communist Party of India (CPI) to forge an electoral tie-up," he said.