Pawar was here to induct the dissident JD(U) leader Upendra Khuswaha into the NCP as the president of its Bihar unit. Khuswaha was recently suspended from the JD(U) for criticising Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for allegedly betraying the cause of backward castes and the Dalits. Congress leader Sanjay Paswan too joined the NCP in the presence of Pawar.

UPA stalwart, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, echoed the views expressed by the NCP chief Pawar. Addressing a press meeting here, Lalu said, “There is no threat to the Congress-led UPA government despite differences with the Left allies.”

In his inimitable style, Lalu even went a step forward by projecting themselves (read UPA partners) as real Leftists. “We are Leftists and centrists. But it is the BJP, which is the real America, as it believes in the rightist philosophy. Even the people of the country also know this”, Lalu quipped.

Claiming that no political party was in favour of early polls, Lalu said the UPA government was trying to address the concerns voiced by the Left parties in an amicable and cordial manner.

Lalu challenges Nitish
The RJD supremo and railway minister Lalu Prasad today dared his bete noire Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to face a mid-term election to test his popularity by dissolving the state assembly. He claimed that Nitish’s popularity was at its lowest.

The immediate provocation for Lalu was recent remarks by Nitish, where he dubbed the proposed ‘chetawani’ (warning) rally by the RJD in Patna on October 28 against him as an effort by the RJD boss to test his own popularity in the changing social dynamics of the state.

Besides, Nitish, yesterday at a BJP function, remarked that the RJD president was scared of a mid-term parliamentary poll. Lalu sharply reacted stating: “I challenge Nitish to dissolve the Bihar assembly and go for a mid-term election to test his popularity, which is at its lowest with spiralling crime and practically no development.” He favoured people’s right to recall their representatives if they fail to deliver.

Lalu was addressing a function to celebrate the 105th birth anniversary of Narayan at the RJD’s state office here.