Allahabad: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) national president and Union Chemical and Fertiliser minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday suggested that Congress and Jan Morcha (JM) should contest the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections together.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr. Paswan said Jan Morcha was formed with the alliance of 18 secular parties including LJP, Left and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

"If Congress and Jan Morcha contest the U.P. polls together, it will make a good impact," he observed.

Mr Paswan said people are fed-up with the Samajwadi Party "misrule", while there was great resentment in the BSP rank and file. "BSP chief Mayawati is playing the politics of opportunism and allotting tickets by taking money."

"It is certain that Congress cannot make electoral alliance with BSP, BJP and SP due to ideological differences. The only alternative is to have electoral alliance with Jan Morcha, which is a secular front," he claimed.

Mr Paswan said the people of U.P. have already seen the regimes of the SP, BSP and BJP and now they are in search of an alternative, which only Jan Morcha can provide.

"Today, corruption, casteism, criminalisation and communal issues are posing great threat to the country's unity. Communalism is posing the greatest danger to our integrity."

In reply to a question, Mr Paswan observed there should not be politics over the foreign policy. "The talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Havana should not be criticised. Anyone who talks about the eradication of terrorism must be supported and welcomed."

The Union mMnister maintained if Pakistan was extending the hand of friendship, it should be welcomed. "People in both the countries want friendship, but there should not be any compromise on the unity and integrity of the nation." Mr Paswan also said the BJP's criticism of the Prime Minister was wrong.

Asked about the achievement of Bihar Chief Minister during the last 10 months, he said there was no achievement in sight.

"Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made 300 announcements, but there is no improvement in the State on any front. He even failed to utilise Central funds," he charged.

Mr Paswan alleged the labourers of Bihar were still migrating in large numbers to Punjab and Haryana in search of jobs.

"Nitish Kumar claims to have launched a movement against criminals, but there is no let up in the crime rate," he added. -- UNI

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