RJD to vote against trust vote in Bihar

Lalu declines to pass judgement on PM's 'secular' praise to Nitish

Observing that the days of the JD(U) government were numbered after 'divorce' from the NDA, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today said that his 22 MLAs would vote against the government in tomorrow's trust vote.

"My party will definitely vote against the Nitish Kumar government during the trust vote in the legislative Assembly tomorrow," he told reporters.

On the possibility of the JD(U) attacking the RJD for voting against the 'secular' government, Prasad said that he was least bothered and pointed out his party's decision to vote against the JD(U) government was on a firm ideological ground and commitment to the people.

"It does not matter to me that the BJP will vote against the JD(U) government...Ours is an independent decision which has nothing to do with the stand of the saffron party," the RJD supremo clarified.

Prasad, who had launched a 'Parivartan Yatra' against the NDA government and held an impressive public meeting in Patna last month, said that he had been vindicated for asserting that the Nitish Kumar government's days in power were numbered due to arrogance of the chief minister and a host of other reasons.

"The JD(U) government may not go as it has mustered support of the four independent MLAs and the Congress MLAs (4) may bail it out during the trust vote tomorrow, but the beginning of the end of this government has well and truly begun," he claimed.

On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's praise of Nitish Kumar as a 'secular' leader after parting ways with the NDA two days ago, Prasad sought to downplay the development, saying that Singh is a gentleman who says kind words about anyone.

"I will not pass judgement on the PM's 'secular' praise to the chief minister," he said.

To a question that the JD(U) may try to poach his MLAs to garner majority in the state Assembly, the RJD supremo said that he was very much sure that all attempt to woo his legislators will fail as no one would like to jump on a sinking ship.