Cong hints at tie-ups with JD-U, AIADMK

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday hinted at post-poll tie-ups for Congress with parties like Janata Dal-United and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

"He (Nitish Kumar) has done a good job (in Bihar). Everybody is saying so. He is people and development oriented," Dikshit said as the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls was in progress.

Asked whether options for tie up with the AIADMK were open, the senior Congress leader said "it all depends on how many seats Congress gets".

She said all options are open for tie-ups except with communal forces.

To a specific query whether such a tie-up was possible with AIADMK, she said, "Yes".

Dikshit remarks come within days of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi showering praises on Kumar and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, in a subtle bid to woo National Democratic Alliance allies. Gandhi had also made overtures to the Left in a bid to shore up Congress numbers after the polls.

Terming the scouting for new allies by Congress 'as realistic', Dikshit said, "When the UPA is making the government and the Congress emerges as the largest party, lot of things will happen. Many corridors will open.

"Those people who have been vitriolic against the government, will join the bandwagon," she hoped.

Attacking key UPA ally Rashtriya Janata Dal, Dikshit said: "We had been offered just three seats (by RJD and LJP). Had they been reasonable, we would have gone with them."