Separate RJD,LJP rallies at same venue

LJP also decided in favour of a solo rally in a bid to recover its lost ground in the state.

Undecided about their alliance future,RJD and LJP are planning separate mega rallies within a gap of 24 hours at Patnas Gandhi Maidan in February. However,the Patna district administration may defer one of the two rallies taking into account security concerns,particularly in the light of the October 27 blasts in the city.

Sources said though the RJD has been trying to save the alliance,it chose a solo rally for a display of strength over a rally with the LJP to end alliance fissures. The LJP also decided in favour of a solo rally in a bid to recover its lost ground in the state. The RJD has sought permission from the Patna district administration to hold the rally at Gandhi Maidan on February 22 and the LJP a day later on February 23.

RJD principal general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Ramkripal Yadav told The Indian Express: We have already applied for venue allotment and are not sure if LJP had also applied for the same venue for a day later. Though we are organising a separate rally,the alliance is intact.

Asked if separate rallies were indicative of the alliance partners charting their own course,Yadav said: It is only media speculation. It is true that JDU had been trying to break our alliance but it will not succeed. Laluji and Ramvilas Paswanji have spoken to each other at least twice in the last week and everything is normal. LJP spokesperson Lalan Kumar Chandravanshi confirmed that the LJP too had applied for Gandhi Maidan allotment for the February 23 rally and did not know that RJD had planned a rally at the same venue a day before.

LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan,who recently held a meeting with party leaders in Delhi,had reportedly not made up his mind and was still weighing his options,depending on what the Congress decides in coming days. Paswan has reportedly got feelers from the JDU to snap ties with RJD but LJP chief is wary if JDU will give it the 12 seats it contested last time.