No change in Bihar alliance formula: Lalu

July 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Keen to revive the party's prospects in Bihar ahead of assembly elections in 2010, some Congress leaders from the state are in favour of an alliance with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan, but only if he parts ways with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) boss Lalu Prasad. "There is a strong feeling among Congress leaders and workers from Bihar that the party should have an alliance with Paswan during the assembly elections, but they want it only if he leaves Lalu Prasad," a senior Congress leader from Bihar told IANS.

May 17th, 2009 PATNA - Hours later United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi called up Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad to attend the Cabinet meet, the Railways Minister said his party was ready to join the Congress-led Government at the Centre. Lalu has not been attending cabinet meetings ever since he forged an alliance with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP).

May 8th, 2009 PATNA - The Bihar unit of the Congress Friday urged the party's top leadership to keep Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan out if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) comes back to power at the centre. 'Congress workers and leaders of the state are of the view that the party high command should keep both Lalu and Paswan out of the next government of the UPA because any working relationship with them will harm the party's revival prospects in Bihar,' president of the party's state unit Anil Kumar Sharma said.

May 8th, 2009 PATNA - The Bihar unit of the Congress Friday urged the party's top leadership to keep Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan out if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) comes back to power at the centre. 'Congress workers and leaders of the state are of the view that the party high command should keep both Lalu and Paswan out of the next government of the UPA because any working relationship with them will harm the party's revival prospects in Bihar,' president of the party's state unit Anil Kumar Sharma said.

April 24th, 2009 PATNA - Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal- United leader Nitish Kumar on Friday said the RJD-LJP alliance would be uprooted from Bihar after general elections. "The RJD-LJP alliance would face a rout in the state in the general elections.

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 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With the first phase of elections only days away, it's a common sight to see people discussing politics at tea stalls or at street corners. At one such tea stall in south Delhi, there was a heated debate about politicians and their winning prospects - especially in Bihar.

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).

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).

March 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Monday released its list of 26 candidates from Bihar with party chief Lalu Prasad contesting from two constituencies in next month's parliamentary elections. 'We will now contest in 28 out of 40 seats in Bihar as per our seat sharing pact with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

March 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Unfazed by the Congress announcing it would go it alone in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Saturday asserted that he could not help if the Congress was unhappy with the seat sharing formula firmed up with the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and he would stick to it. At the same time, he sought to dispel talk about any spilt in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), saying his party continued to be a part of the ruling coalition.

March 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Smarting from the humiliation inflicted by its key partners, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar, the Congress retaliated Wednesday by giving only two seats to the RJD in Jharkhand. The Congress, however, claimed while announcing the seat sharing formula for Jharkhand that this was no retaliation.

March 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - An upset Congress Tuesday termed as 'unacceptable' its two United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJSP), announcing their seat sharing arrangement for Bihar and leaving just three seats for the party. As per the seat sharing formula worked out for Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats, 25 will go to the RJD, 12 to the LJSP, and just three to the Congress.

March 18th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Hours after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) announced their seat sharing arrangement for Bihar, the Congress Tuesday termed the pact as 'unacceptable'. As per the seat sharing formula for Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats, 25 will go to the RJD, 12 to the LJP and three to the Congress.

February 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI -Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Tuesday described as 'nonsense' a report that he would not spare more than 13 Lok Sabha seats to his allies in Bihar. 'All this is media fabrication.