Left a natural ally, says Lalu

May 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad today said he would lend unconditional support to the UPA Government. After attending a meeting of the Union Cabinet, Lalu said he is ready to offer unconditional support to the government.

May 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With his Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) reduced to just four Lok Sabha seats, party chief Lalu Prasad said Sunday he would 'always' support the UPA, whether or not he is part of the new government. On his arrival in Delhi after being called by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi to attend a meeting of the outgoing cabinet on Monday, the railways minister told reporters: 'I being a part of the government or not is another thing.

May 17th, 2009 PATNA - In a magnanimous gesture to reach out to her estranged ally and Union Railway minister, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Sunday called up Railway Minister Lalu Prasad requesting him to attend the Cabinet meet scheduled for Monday. "UPA chairperson rang up the Railway Minister last evening and requested him to attend a meeting of the union Cabinet on Monday," his private secretary Bhola Yadav said here on Sunday.

May 17th, 2009 PATNA/NEW DELHI - UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi Sunday rang up RJD chief and Railways Minister Lalu Prasad asking him to attend a meeting of the outgoing cabinet Monday and invited him to join the new government, sources close to the minister said. Bhola Yadav, personal assistant of Lalu Prasad, told IANS from Patna minutes before the minister left for Delhi that: 'Sonia-ji called up and invited him (Lalu Prasad) to attend the meeting and also join the government.' 'Lalu-ji has already regretted that the RJD did not ally with the Congress in the elections,' he added.

May 16th, 2009 PATNA - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has tasted victory and defeat in the same breath Saturday - winning one Lok Sabha seat and losing another one. Lalu Prasad won the Saran seat beating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) heavyweight Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

May 16th, 2009 PATNA - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday lost the polls in Pataliputra, but managed to defeat the BJP's candidate Rudy Pratap Singh at Saran. Lalu was initially trailing behind Saran in the votes tally.

April 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said Thursday that the 'election and selection' of the leader of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) would be done after the parliamentary polls. Alliance partners Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan said they were open to the Left joining the coalition.

April 23rd, 2009 PATNA - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday denied any rift with the Left parties and said that the United Progressive Front (UPA) would welcome a post-poll coalition deal with them if the alliance is not able to succeed in the elections. Talking to reporters here, Lalu said, "The doors for a post-poll alliance with the Left is still open.

April 22nd, 2009 HOWRAH - Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Tuesday called up Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee and clarified that he had not left the United Progressive Alliance, Mukherjee said at an election meeting here. Lalu's telephone call to the external affairs minister came hours after the two engaged in verbal fisticuffs while addressing election meetings.

April 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Congress may be projecting Manmohan Singh as its prime ministerial candidate but key ally Lalu Prasad Tuesday put a spoke in the wheel by saying the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) would choose its prime minister only after the elections. As campaigning ended for the second phase of balloting April 23 - the first phase of the five-stage process was on April 16 - Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherje took umbrage to Lalu Prasad's remark, but Manmohan Singh brushed it aside.

April 21st, 2009 PATNA - Senior Congress party leader Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said that Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav would not be a part of the next government. Addressing an election rally in Samastipur, Mukherjee said: "Lalu will neither form the government or will be a part of the next government.

April 21st, 2009 PATNA - Retracting from his stand on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday said that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) does not necessarily belong to the Congress party and the coalition would meet after the completion of elections to decide their primeministerial candidate. The Railway Minister had maintained all along that Manmohan Singh is the UPA nominee for the post of Prime Minister.

April 21st, 2009 PATNA - Congress leader and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee indicated Tuesday that Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad was no longer an ally of the party. 'It has become difficult to keep him as an ally.

March 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Congress Tuesday said it was feeling hurt by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's desertion from its camp in Bihar -- all over seat-sharing. 'I do not find any explanation why Lalu Prasad could not accommodate six seats to the Congress out of 40 (in the state).

January 31st, 2009 PATNA - Love has a new adversary. It's Railways Minister Lalu Prasad, the rustic charmer, who has come out against love marriages, saying youngsters ought marry according to their parents' wishes.