Merge JD-U with BJP: Paswan advises Nitish

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan today hit back at JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar asking him to ‘‘merge his party with the BJP instead of tal...

LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan today hit back at JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar asking him to ‘‘merge his party with the BJP instead of talking about secularism’’ and ruled out the possibility of the LJP coming out of the UPA.

‘‘Instead of talking about secularism the JD(U) should merge with the saffron party and the sooner it is done the better,’’ Paswan said on his arrival from New Delhi.

Kumar had yesterday said that all conditions, including severing ties with BJP, put forth by Paswan for government formation were acceptable if the LJP leader merged his party with the JD(U).

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‘‘All his conditions are acceptable. This includes even those conditions which have not been made public so far provided Paswan agrees to merge LJP with JD(U),’’ Kumar had told reporters in New Delhi yesterday. Continuing his diatribe against Kumar, Paswan questioned the standing of Nitish in JD(U) which, he claimed, was in the ‘‘grip of George Fernandes who will never break his ties with the BJP.’’

Accusing Kumar of riding two boats by talking of secularism on one hand and continuing relations with the BJP-led NDA, Paswan stuck to his old stand on maintaining equidistance from RJD and BJP and claimed a government would be in place in Bihar in the next six months.

He refused to divulge the details about the talks he had with Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday. Castigating the JD(U) for trying to poach on LJP MLAs, Paswan said ‘‘nobody will succeed in such a sinister mission. People should know that I am the steel minister and all the LJP MLAs are made of steel who will never make any compromise on the party’s stand.’’