“We will participate in the discussion for sure,” party President Sharad Yadav said. He was evasive when asked if the JD(U) would press for voting and the constitution of a joint parliamentary committee to examine the agreement. “It is a matter of floor strategy,” Yadav said, maintaining that the NDA would meet ahead of the session and decide what to ask for. “Every session,” according to him, “warrants a different strategy and we would devise one for this as well.”

When asked if the NDA had changed its position following signals from senior BJP leaders that they might back the deal if their concerns were addressed, the JD(U) chief said, “The NDA stand remains unchanged.”

Yadav vowed to raise the issue of allegations against former Chief Justice of India Y K Sabharwal in the Rajya Sabha and press for a structured debate on it. He criticised the Supreme Court refusal to order an inquiry into the charges and sought to know if assets of judges were sacred while disproportionate assets of bureaucrats and politicians alone could be probed.

The JD(U) chief demanded that the Karnataka Governor invite B S Yediyurappa to form a Government in the state. He said the delay on his part defied understanding given the fact that the BJP-JD(S)-JD(U) combine commands a clear majority in the Assembly.

Regarding the demand of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav for action against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of recent revelations, Yadav said, “As a Union minister, he represents the Centre. Whom is he petitioning? The God or himself?” He termed it “nautanki” and said the RJD chief should have taken action immediately after coming to power.

Responding to a question about the attack on some mediapersons by Bihar JD(U) MLA Anant Singh, Yadav said: “I condemn the incident and seek the most stringent action against him.”