Cong harps on 'Ekla Chalo' tune in Bihar

In a move to position itself neutrally in Bihar ahead of next Lok Sabha elections, Congress today asserted its 'Ekla Chalo' (go alone) stand claiming "equidistance" from both JD-U and Lalu Prasad's RJD.
Party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed maintained that Congress is still in "no mood" to ally with any party for the next elections there.
"We are fully engaged in expanding our base in Bihar against Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad. We have an equal distance from both the parties. We are trying to find our own path. We are not aligning with any party.
"We have no plan to ally with anyone else in future. So far it is Ekla Chalo (go alone)...Our mood is to go it alone in Bihar in the coming election," Ahmed told reporters here.

He was responding to questions on whether Prasad's praise for Congress at Parivartan Rally in Patna is an indication that RJD will ally with Congress in next Lok Sabha elections.
Ahmed, a senior leader from Bihar, had served as a minister in the RJD-Congress alliance government led by Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and is understood to have been favouring an alliance with that party.

In recent months, there have been intense speculation about Kumar quitting NDA to join hands with Congress, which had fought the last Lok Sabha election on its own breaking off ties with RJD.
Lalu Prasad's party, which was a constituent in UPA-I is currently supporting UPA-II government from outside.

Ahmed, however, maintained that "up to this juncture, we are not in a mood to ally with any party". He pointed out that Congress is fighting Lok Sabha bye-election in Maharajganj next month on its own against both RJD and JD-U.
The Congress spokesperson said it was "not correct" to say there is 'Sushashan' (good governance) in Nitish Kumar-ruled Bihar as it lacks in many fronts including per capita income.
The assertions appear to be an exercise to keep the party in best bargain position during elections as senior party leader A K Antony-led committee is still examining specifics of the alliance issue.