Backing JD(U) to 'thwart' BJP, says Lalu; keeps mum on future

New Delhi, May 22:

chief

on Thursday said his party's "unconditional support" to the JD(U) government in

is aimed at foiling BJP's "design" to capture power in the state, but evaded questions on future possibilities with Nitish Kumar's party.

Yadav also met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the evening and is learnt to have briefed her about the polls in Bihar. The alliance of RJD, Congress and NCP won seven of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

"We have been supporting Congress at the Centre for a long time to check communal forces. Similarly, our support to the Jitan Ram Manhji government in Bihar is also to check BJP and foil its design to capture power in the state. It is unconditional support, but we will keep monitoring the working of the government," Prasad said.

Prasad's party did not perform as expected in Lok Sabha polls in Bihar and the RJD chief said that BJP's handsome performance in the state was due to the "spread of communal poison at grassroots".

And, as to whether his support of the JD(U) government signals a future coming together of the two parties, Prasad said that was an altogether different issue although he drew attention to his earlier remark on the day of results in which he had said the division of socialist and 'Mandal' forces would have its consequences.

To a specific question whether RJD and JD(U) can come together to take on BJP, he said such questions were in the realm of future.

"For the time being, only this much is true that we are supporting the Manjhi government to check communal forces and there is no other politics in it right now," he said.

The comprehensive defeat of JD(U) and RJD at the hustings has seen the bitter rivals warming to each other with several leaders in both parties, including JD(U) President Sharad Yadav, hinting at joining hands to take on BJP.

For the first time in Bihar politics, BJP has become the pre-eminent party, leaving the once all-powerful regional satraps to think about their future course of action.

Nitish quit as the Bihar chief minister following his party's debacle and Prasad extended support to the new government, putting to rest the speculation about its future.

PTI