‘Parties to decide on tieup leadership’

JD(U) Bihar chief Bashistha Narain Singh said it was up to all parties involved to take a call on the leadership of the anti-BJP front, while insisting Mr Kumar had the image and ability to do so. He also made light of Congress suggestions that there should be a wider front led by it on UPA lines, saying many comments were made in a spirit of enthusiasm.

The Grand Alliance comprising the JD(U), RJD and Congress had trounced the BJP-led NDA in Bihar, and won 178 out of 243 seats.

Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav, responding to a volley of questions on his remarks at Sant Kabir Nagar in UP Sunday that “a grand alliance is possible in the state”, said on Monday: “Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) will decide on an alliance. How can I decide ”

The CM went on to add that while for others BSP chief Mayawati was “behenji” (as she is widely referred to), for him she was a “bua” (father’s sister). Mr Yadav said at a time when he was doing so much for the state’s development, people will have to keep an eye on who wanted an alliance in Uttar Pradesh. “We will also have to keep an eye on whether the BSP and BJP are seeking a political alliance...We will have to keep an eye everywhere,” he said.

Citing newspaper reports, the UP CM said he was himself “confused” over what exactly he had said on Sunday about the possibility of a grand alliance in UP. “Every paper has a different story on what I said. You tell me what to state and I will state that. Even if I remain silent, you will certainly write something. I did not say anything on an alliance or grand alliance, but you published reports. You don’t know which point of a conversation is published and in which way,” he added.