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Paswan may not have alliance with RJD

By Our Staff Correspondent

SHIMLA, JUNE 21. The Lok Janshakti Party, a constituent of the United Progressive Alliance, may go it alone or form a third alternative for the coming Vidhan Sabha elections in Bihar. This was declared here today by the party chief and Union Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers, Ram Vilas Paswan.

He hinted that his party might not have any alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal. "Ultimately we may settle for an alliance with the NDA again, but minus BJP,'' he said.

The Lok Janshakti Party leader did not rule out an understanding with the Left parties and said his options were open.

Earlier, talking to mediapersons, the Union Minister said no political party in the country, including the last Vajpayee Government, had ever opposed reservation in the private sector. He said it had been clearly incorporated into the common minimum programme of the UPA and all the constituents had agreed on it.

Making a mockery of the Disinvestment Ministry, Mr. Paswan said the last Government had sold State properties worth Rs 40,000 crores.

On the issue of agriculture subsidies, he said the subsidy of Rs 6000 crore on fertilisers would not be stopped. The fertiliser factories facing shut down in many States would be revived and new factories would be started, he assured. On Gujarat, Mr. Paswan said the former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had been isolated and the RSS line had emerged stronger. He said: "The RSS is the real transmitter and the BJP is just a channel''. He said that he believed in the politics of principle and had quit on the Gujarat issue after remaining in the Vajpayee Government for over one year.

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