CPI declares 4 names for Bihar

With RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav dithering, the CPI today went ahead and announced four candidates as it had threatened for four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar — Madhubani, Buxar, Gaya and Balia. ‘‘Let him (Laloo) do what he wants. We have made up our minds. It is not possible to wait indefinitely, we have to fight the elections,’’ CPI national secretary D. Raja said. Laloo, however, met CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet for two-and-a-half hours today. Though he refused to give in to the demand for another seat other than Bhagalpur, Surjeet said: ‘‘We have no problems…We discussed our strategy on how to defeat the BJP at the all-India level.’’

CPI(M) senior Politburo member Prakash Karat said Laloo was unable to spell out a decision on the seat-sharing immediately, but ‘‘talks are on’’. Raja, meanwhile, said the CPI has communicated its decision to go ahead with the announcement of candidates to its ‘‘secular friends’’.‘‘We waited and waited. But we are still committed to form the secular alliance to defeat the BJP-JD(U) combine in Bihar. Now it is up to Laloo to give these seats to us,’’ Raja said.

But the RJD president is in no mood to give up. Sources said that every time the Left leaders called Laloo, ‘‘his office said he will get back’’ which he never did. Surjeet is now expected to step in and sort out the fracas by tomorrow.