The Hindu : We tried to woo Paswan: Nitish

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Monday, Feb 23, 2004

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We tried to woo Paswan: Nitish

By Our Staff Correspondent

PATNA, FEB. 22 . The Railway Minister and senior Janata Dal (U) leader, Nitish Kumar, today claimed that the Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ramvilas Paswan, joining hands with the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, would not cause any problem to the National Democratic Alliance.

The Railway Minister contended that Mr. Paswan had invited a headache for himself as he had been projecting himself as the protagonist of the anti-Laloo camp. He would have to explain as to why he had compromised on his principles.

He admitted that he and other NDA leaders had talked to him in a bid to woo him back, which, he maintained, was based on the signals that they had received from him. "We didn't want to give the impression that we had forced him to cross the fence."

Mr. Kumar claimed that the situation was more favourable now than in 1999 stressing that there was an undercurrent against the RJD. He, however, declined to join the debate on the imposition of President's rule saying that he had played his role on this count and that the effort had failed in 1998. "The people would react in their own way during the polls," he said.

Mr. Kumar, replying to a question, said that he would be the happiest person if Mr. Paswan's strategy were aimed at cornering him. "Thus far the battle has been against Mr. Yadav. If I'm being targetted, I'll only be too happy as it would mean that we are the number one party. If that is so we have already won the first round of the battle," Mr. Kumar contended.

He said that the people are talking of development and the NDA government had done its share very admirably.

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