How the AIADMK, TDP are helping the Congress

Exuding confidence that United Progressive Alliance would retain power at the Centre, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad claimed on Friday the alliance would benefit hugely from the National Democratic Alliance's old allies like All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Telugu Desam Party snapping ties with it.

"Advani is daydreaming. His ambition of becoming prime minister will never come true as UPA is set to hold on to power after the Lok Sabha elections," he told a 'hulla bol, pole khol' rally at Chapra  in his parliamentary constituency of  Saran.

Claiming that the "good work done by the UPA government for all sections of society" would ensure its victory, he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to divide society along communal lines. "India has 17 crore Muslims and BJP and other followers of Nathuram Godse want to create communal tension for political gains," the Railway minister said.

"I am prepared to face total obliteration of my party from the political scene, but will continue to oppose the BJP and the Sangh fraternity, which tried to inflame anti-Muslim passions in the wake of the November 26 attack on Mumbai, forgetting that many of the slain were Muslims," he said.