Lalu predicts hung assembly in UP

Ballia, May 2 (UNI) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav today claimed no party would get absolute majority in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly election.

Addressing an election meeting at Bansdih assembly area here, Mr Yadav claimed there was no hope for the ruling Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to retain power.'' He charged the SP chief with having nexus with communal forces.

''The participation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, (former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu and (former Haryana Chief Minister) Om Prakash Chautala in the UP election compaign is the biggest example,'' he noted.

He also attacked Bharatiya Janata Party saying they were backed by RSS, and betraying people in the name of religion was their only creed.

Mr Yadav also mentioned about the modernisation plans in the Indian Railways, which would cost Rs 8,000 crore.

''My dream is to see Indian Railways as the world's top rail service and to bring this to effect, electrification of rail network in Northern region will be taken up.'' UNI