In talks with secular parties, says Lalu

Pitching for unity of secular parties to counter communal forces, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said he was in talks with leaders of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 general election.

“The day UP, Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha come together, the Narendra Modi government will come down. A Mahagathbandhan at the national level will oust the BJP-RSS government at the Centre,” said Lalu, at the inaugural session of three-day training camp-cum-national executive meet of the party.

He also urged leaders and cadre of ‘secular alliance’ to avoid infighting. “Nitish (Kumar) and I are together. Had we been together in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP would not have won as many seats in Bihar as it did,” he said.