‘Secular’ Paswan wants to go it alone in Bihar

Pleased with the ‘‘pro-active’’ role adopted by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi who called on him last week, Paswan said: ‘‘At the national level, I will be part of the secular front. On the question of secularism, we will have nothing to do with the NDA.’’

But when it comes to Bihar, Paswan is hesitant about being part of a secular front with the Congress. The problem, of course, is not Congress but Laloo Yadav. Paswan has been pitted against the RJD chief for long, and it was his opposition to Laloo that led him to join NDA.

Significantly, though, Paswan does not appear anti-Laloo anymore. He will not join hands with the NDA in Bihar just to defeat the RJD as he had done previously.

‘‘In the context of Bihar, it will have to be a policy of give-and-take with any party,’’ he insists. Elaborating, he says: ‘‘I will not go in for an alliance with either the NDA or the RJD but limited seat adjustments are possible.’’ In other words, the party will go it alone in a number of seats and have ‘‘local level’’ adjustments on a seat-by-seat basis.

The LJP will conduct a rath yatra in Bihar in February culminating in a rally at Patna on February 21. During the this campaign, Paswan hopes to gauge his strength in the state. Paswan claims that his popularity transcends caste lines and his ‘‘committed’’ votebank will play a decisive role in the elections.