The Hindu Business Line : Laloo fires first salvo; to decide on joining Govt later

THE Congress-led United Progressive Alliance today got its first taste of the pressures of alliance politics with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, keeping alive the suspense on whether his party would join the new Government.

In an apparent move to extract the maximum advantage for his party and his State, Mr Yadav said that the decision on joining the Government would be taken after consultation with his party colleagues and the Bihar Chief Minister, Ms Rabri Devi.

The newly elected RJD Members of Parliament held a meeting and demanded a special economic package for Bihar to compensate for the bifurcation of the state as a precondition to the party's participation in the Government.

Senior RJD leader, Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, told reporters that the party would take part in the Mr Manmohan Singh-led Government only if the Bihar package was promised. The party MPs have, however, left the final decision on Mr Yadav.

Later, Mr Yadav said that he was leaving for Patna to discuss the issue with Ms Rabri Devi and party MLAs.

"I will make up my mind regarding joining the Government or supporting it from outside after consulting all my colleagues. My primary objective of removing the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government has been achieved," he said.