Cong says JD(U) is secular and like-minded party

Seeking to fish in troubled waters, Congress today extended an olive branch to JD(U) describing it as a "secular and like-minded party" on the eve of a possible decision by Nitish Kumar's party to snap ties with the BJP-led NDA.
At a time when Narendra Modi has become the poster boy of the BJP, the ruling Congress called for an alliance of secular forces in nation's interest.
"JD(U) is a like-minded party, which has faith in secularism. It is in alliance with a party with which its idelogy does not match," party spokesman Bhakta Charan Das told reporters sending clear signals for the first time that Congress was not averse to doing business with Kumar's party.

His comments came close on the heels of party Vice President Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Srinagar that any decision on inviting JD(U) to join UPA will be taken by senior Congress leaders.
JD(U), the second largest constituent of the NDA with 20 Lok Sabha seats, is set to walk out of a 17 year-old association with the BJP following the elevation of Narendra Modi as chief of BJP's election campaign committee. The Bihar Chief Minister has a strong antipathy for Modi.
The Congress' call for the coming together of "like minded secular forces" came at a time when regional leaders like Naveen Patnaik, Mamata Banerjee and Kumar are talking about the formation of a Federal Front of non-Congress, non-BJP parties.

"Like-minded secular parties have come together in the past and can come together even in future. Political formation of like-minded forces in the interest of the nation can happen any time," Das said.
Congress is sharing power at the Centre since May 2004 after the UPA under Sonia Gandhi ousted Atal Behari Vajpayee- led NDA from power.
It has also formed a committee headed by senior leader A K Antony to go into the issue of alliances as part of finding new friends and allies ahead of the Lok Sabha polls less than a year away.