Lalu for non-SP, non-BJP govt in UP

Gorakhpur, May 3 (UNI) RJD president and Railways minister Lalu Prasad today said efforts would be made to form a non-BJP and non-SP government in Uttar Pradesh after the ongoing Uttar Pradesh assembly poll is over.

However, the former Bihar Chief Minster skirted the question of a possible meeting with BSP chief Mayawati, saying, ''Wait till May 11.'' ''Both SP and BJP have neglected 'Poorvanchal' (east UP). Now, the ball is in peoples' court and the same would reflect in the poll results,'' the RJD leader observed.

Expressing concern over low voting percentage in the state poll so far, he said it was due to the absence of election photo identity cards (EPIC) to all.

''I hold former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee responsible for this, as he was the first to support EPIC use,'' he said.

''What is the use having EPIC when all voters cannot get it.

Ironically. These cards sometimes carry someone else's photo,'' he mocked.

Terming Vidhan Sabha election process ''slow and monotonous,'' he said it lacks enthusiam and is time consuming. It takes two to five minutes to cast a vote with Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).

Therefore, there is an urgent need to change the whole system.'' UNI ATI VS SAM DB2047