LJP reacts angrily to Raghubansh's remark on naming candidates

"This time it will not be like a seat is allocated and then you start looking for a candidate," Raghubansh Prasad Singh said

LJP today reacted angrily to senior RJD leader Raghubansh Prasad Singh's assertion that seats allocation would be decided after assessing potential of the candidates proposed by allies, saying if it is so Lalu Prasad's party should come with its candidates' list first.

"If this is the criteria for seat allocation, they (RJD) should first come with the names of their 'pahelwans' (potential candidates)," Maheshwar Singh, vice-president of LJP, told PTI.

Maintaining that such views coming from a senior leader considered number two in RJD is not "conducive" for alliance, he said normal practice is that number of seat is alloted to a party, whose Parliamentary Board decides the candidates.

Talking tough, he said "the party is prepared for any condition."

Singh accompanied by state LJP president Pashupati Paras, who is younger brother of party chief Ramvilas Paswan, said LJP had contested on 12 seats in 2009 elections hence coming down from this number was not feasible.

Signalling trouble even before any formal announcement of a pre-poll alliance among the Congress, RJD and LJP in Bihar for the 2014 general elections, Raghubansh Prasad Singh yesterday snubbed "inflated" claims by parties, saying they should come out with their candidates first and only then it would be decided whether they have potential to win or not.

"Come out with the name of your 'pahelwan' (potential candidate) for the the seat you claim, then only based on a real assessment, the seat will be given to a particular party," he had told reporters here.

"This time it will not be like a seat is allocated and then you start looking for a candidate," Raghubansh Prasad Singh, RJD MP from Vaishali, said.