JD-U rules out alliance after RJD extends support

Bihar's ruling JD-U Thursday welcomed the support extended by Lalu Prasad's RJD to the new state government led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, but ruled out any chance of an alliance with it.

"We welcome the Rashtriya Janata Dal's support to the state government but there is no possibility of an alliance or any chance of realignment with it," Janata Dal-United state president Bashisht Narain Singh told media persons here.

He said the JD-U did not seek the RJD's support, and it announced the support on its own. "We cannot say 'no' to support," he said.

The new chief minister also said he was happy to get the RJD's legislative backing.

"It is nice to hear that the RJD will support my government," he said.

Nearly half a dozen JD-U leaders and cabinet ministers in the Manjhi government, including Narender Singh, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Shyam Razak and Shahid Ali Khan, made it clear that the RJD's support to the government has nothing to do with alliance.

"We have made it clear that there is nothing in it... no question of alliance of the JD-U with the RJD," said Water Resources Minister Choudhary, who is considered close to former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

"The JD-U government has a comfortable majority, there is no threat to the government at all," Razak said.

RJD state president Ram Chandra Purve said the party decided to support the Manjhi government without any condition.

The RJD has 21 members in the 243-member state assembly.

The Congress, which has four legislators, has also extended support to the Manjhi government.

The JD-U has 117 legislators and enjoys the support of one Communist Party of India member and two Independent legislators.