RANCHI: Union minister Ramvilas Paswan on Sunday predicted doom for the Congress-JD(U)-RJD alliance in Bihar even as its chief minister Nitish Kumar called on Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Delhi.

At a press conference in Ranchi, the minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution said no alliance was possible between Nitish and Lalu. Little did Paswan know that hours after his speech, the JD(U) and RJD chiefs would agree to contest the Bihar assembly elections in alliance.

"Though Nitish and Lalu are negotiating an alliance, they are holding flower in one hand and dagger in another, which implies their readiness to stab each other in the back," he said.

The minister said the duo's alliance talks would end in "fierce fight". "I know Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav inside out," he said.

Paswan said the alliance talks have little consensus and more differences. "Raghubansh Prasad Singh (RJD vice-president) is not ready to declare Kumar as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance. Lalu has ego problems with Nitish," he added.

Top leaders of RJD and JD(U) held back-to- back meetings in Delhi on Sunday to sort out the differences. Congress helped the two parties reach consensus.

"Lalu should know that he can not become CM. The Yadavs no longer consider him their leader. Nitish does not have a vote bank. Lalu is out on bail. They have no option, but to try to cobble together an alliance," Ramvilas said, ridiculing reported fight for mangoes between Nitish Kumar and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi.

He also took potshots at failed Janta Parivar merger. "I appeal to the people of Bihar to shun caste politics and vote for development. The NDA will form the next majority government in Bihar," he said.

He, however, dodged questions on NDA chief ministerial candidate for Bihar elections. "Narendra Modi is our leader. Whosoever Modiji names as the CM candidate will be acceptable to us," he said.