Sonia corners Modi, Mamata on growth JD(U) ready to go

It alone in Bihar

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday virtually kicked off the panchayat poll campaign for the Congress in Malda, while also keeping an eye on next year’s general election.

Both used Central development projects, welfare schemes and reaffirmation of secular ideals as poll planks to bolster the electoral prospects of the Congress and counter West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegations of impartiality with the state.

Mrs Gandhi also spoke about defeating communal forces, in an apparent reference to the BJP and its mascot Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. “Economic and social development of the nation should go hand in hand for which we need to fight communal forces strongly,” she said. New Delhi: NDA constituent and ruling party in Bihar JD(U) has said it is prepared to fight the next Lok Sabha elections alone in the state if the situation demands and its alliance with BJP ceases to exist. On the eve of Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) rally in Delhi, dubbed by many as a show of strength, party general secretary Shivanand Tiwary said the JD(U) wanted the alliance to continue, but at the same time the party was prepared “to contest all the seats with all our strength”. Ex-chief of BJP Bihar C.P. Thakur had recently said that his party was preparing to contest all the parliamentary seats in

Bihar.