PATNA, JUNE 9: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will chalk out a strategy on forging of alliances in Maharashtra and elsewhere in the country at the party's national council meeting at Patna on July 4.Speaking to reporters here today, Ramchandar Purbe, Bihar Cabinet Minister said the RJD had yet to decide whether they would team up with Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party or the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress.
Replying to a question regarding the RJD's stand following the split in the Congress, Purbe said, ``The scenario in Maharashtra is still not very clear, so we will have to wait and watch''. Elaborating on the party's organisational elections, Purbe said elections for the party's district-level presidents would be completed by June 20 while those at the State level would be over by June 25.
Nominations for the party's national president was scheduled for July 1 followed by elections to the post on July 4, he added.
Purbe, however, clarified that the party did not believe in dynastic rule but laidemphasis on democratic elections. Defending Rabri Devi's taking over as Chief Minister of Bihar, he said the Chief Minister had proved that she enjoyed the support of the majority by winning the vote of confidence in the State Assembly.
According to Purbe, who claimed that the party had 17,000 members in Mumbai, the RJD would field its candidates independently once it had strenghtened its hold in the State.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.