Lalu with Cong on PM candidate

Amid talk of Rahul Gandhi being anointed Congress' Prime Ministerial candidate, RJD Chief Lalu Prasad today said he was with that party on naming the nominee, but preferred the matter be decided after polls.

"It is a Congress decision on choosing a prime ministerial candidate. I am with it (Congress). But names of CM or PM should be a matter of post-poll," Prasad told reporters here.

"What is the flaw of Rahul Gandhi? He is a youth leader. Let them first talk (on the PM candidature) and decide," Prasad shot back when asked whether he would back Rahul if the Congress decided to choose its vice president for the top post.

To a query if Congress allies with Janata Dal(U), the RJD leader said he would not be any obstacle for anyone’s choice.

"In Bihar, Nitish Kumar or JD(U) is not any factor. People are fed up with it and he (Nitish) will not be in power anymore," he said.

"I'll work hard. I want all secular forces on one platform. But one cannot fight alone in elections. If everyone fights together then results can be seen," he added.

Referring to Gujarat riot of 2002, he said former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had asked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to adhere to 'Raj Dharma'. But L K Advani saved Modi and Nitish Kumar sided him."

"I had stopped Advani’s Rath. And I'll also rein in Modi’s communal Rath," Prasad said.

"The recent riots in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh had been hatched. Relief camps there are in a very bad shape." he said.

Commenting on the Aam Aadmi Party, he said, "AAP cheated the common man with false promises before the elections in Delhi."


On the Lokpal Bill, Prasad said, "I am in favour of its present form and support its passage in Parliament."

"But I have been against Anna Hazare’s Lokpal Bill which undermines the judiciary," he said.

The judiciary has its own independent place in a democracy and it would be dangerous to undermine it, he said.