Lok Janshakti Party president Ramvilas Paswan on Saturday said his party will not compromise on its stand of not seeking support from either the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Rashtriya Janata Dal to form a government in Bihar.
This came as a jolt to Janata Dal (United) chief ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar's efforts to cobble together an alliance to form a government.
Paswan also maintained that a Muslim leader will be the chief minister of the government supported by the LJP.
"I asked [Nitish] Kumar to part company with the saffron party and bring together a majority with non-RJD and non-BJP parties to form a popular government," Paswan told PTI.
While reacting to reports appearing in a section of the press that the LJP had softened its stand on the issue of support from the BJP, Paswan said, "It is absolutely wrong."
"My statement in Ranchi yesterday [on Friday] on the issue was altogether in a different context and it was wrongly placed by media," he said. The JD (U) would have to break its ties first to come on 'friendly terms' with the LJP, he added.
Paswan had reportedly said in Ranchi that the JD (U) should first sever ties with the BJP if it wanted the LJP to support it in government formation. The issue of taking inside or outside support from the BJP could be decided later on, he had said.
JD (U) has projected Nitish Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate while authorising him to hold talks with non-RJD parties to cobble together a majority.
Paswan described as 'mere coincidence' his meeting with Nitish at the residence of Samajwadi Party Bihar unit president Dadan Singh, alias Dadan Pahelwan, in the morning.
More from rediff