"We will fight Bihar elections together",says Hemat Soren after meeting Lalu Prasad Yadav

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren met jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday to discuss the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.The meeting was at the official residence of the Director of Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), Patna.

Soren spent more than an hour with Prasad at Director's bungalow, where the RJD leader is staying. Lalu Prasad who was staying at paying ward of RIMS has been shifted to Director's residence recently, in the wake of his attendants testing Covid 19 positive.

The RJD supremo who is convicted in four cases of multi crore rupees fodder scam in Bihar is lodged in jail in Ranchi.

Coming out of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Soren told reporters, "we will fight Bihar elections together."

"Met Lalu after a long time. Our party wants to fight the Bihar elections in alliance with RJD. Who will play what role will be decided later," added Soren.

He said the former Bihar chief minister's health is better now.

RJD is a partner in the coalition government headed by Soren in Jharkhand. Besides JMM, the Congress is also part of the government in the state.

Asked on how many seats the JMM will field its candidates in Bihar where polls are due in October-November, Soren said "wait for some more time to know who will enter the poll fray from where."

It may be noted that JMM had recently demanded 12 seats in Bihar under Grand Alliance,but the party has no legislator in Bihar at present.The party had won one seat in 2005 Assembly polls.

The RJD which heads the opposition grouping there, had indicated that it would spare not more than 2-3 seats to the Jharkhand based regional party.

The Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar consists of RJD, Congress, RLSP of former union minister Upendra Kushwaha and VIP of Bollywood setdesigner Mukesh Sahni.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)