I don't harbour any grudge against Sonia, Nitish: Lalu

Brushing aside speculations about his party exploring the possibility of forging an alliance with the Congress in Bihar, RJD leader Lalu Prasad asserted that no issue of tie-up came up for discussion at the meeting with AICC president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.

"Of course, the meeting I had with Sonia Ji was political in nature. But we did not not discuss the issue of having an alliance afresh for coming bypolls or the state assembly elections due towards end of next year", Prasad told reporters, after his meeting with Gandhi yesterday.

Elaborating on the issue, he said the Congress was a big party and it was free to take its decision on electoral or other issues on its own.

"We don't have to comment on the Congress decision to go alone at the hustings in Bihar", he said.

Prasad was, however, quick to remark that he did not not harbour any grudge against AICC president Gandhi and he had full respect for her.

When his attention was drawn to AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi showering praise on him in Raipur recently, the RJD leader said "We have good rapport with that family."

"Even I don't have bitter relations with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, whom I continue to treat as my younger brother", he said.