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Journalism of Courage
They may be in rival camps in Bihar for now, but Congress does not rule out the possibility of LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan supporting the RJD-led alliance in case the ensuing polls lead to a hung House.
Asked if Paswan would back the RJD-Congress-NCP alliance after polls, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said: ‘‘It depends on what kind of mandate we get.’’
The current soft stand of Congress towards Paswan takes this possibility into account. The party has ignored suggestions from the RJD and CPI(M) that the LJP chief be dropped from the Government for having charted a different course in Bihar.
On Paswan’s insistence on a Muslim CM, Singh said: ‘‘He can take that stand.’’ He said there was no change in the Congress stand that the issue of chief ministership will be decided after ‘‘we get a majority’’. On the possibility of Laloo Prasad Yadav or Rabri Devi becoming CM, he said, ‘‘We can not pre-judge a situation.’’
Singh said the alliance partners would shortly pass on the CMP drawn by them to the CPI(M) for their endorsement. Sources disclosed that the alliance is likely to promise a five per cent job reservation for the minorities. This is targetted at the Muslim vote-bank, being wooed by Paswan on the Muslim CM plank.
