Paswan to go it alone in Bihar polls

Union Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers, and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan today said he would contest the Bihar polls on his own ...

Union Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers, and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan today said he would contest the Bihar polls on his own and field candidates in all the Assembly constituencies.

Paswan, addressing mediapersons, claimed that he controlled at least 18,000 votes in each constituency and he would forge a Muslim-Dalit combination to counter the Muslim-Yadav alliance of RJD leader and Railways Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav.

Paswan ruled out any pressure from Congress president Sonia Gandhi for a tie-up with the RJD. ‘‘She would not ask,’’ he said when asked if he would agree to to an alliance with the RJD at Sonia’s bidding.

As for the Congress joining hands with him, Paswan said: ‘‘This has to be decided by the Congress.’’ He said he did not foresee any strains appearing in the ruling UPA due to Bihar elections and asserted that compulsions of state and Central politics were different.

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