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In the latest overture by the Congress to Nitish Kumar, the Prime Minister today described the Bihar Chief Minister as "a secular leader." When asked if his party will seek a partnership with the Chief Minister, he responded, "In politics there are no permanent friends or enemies; we decide as the situation evolves."Mr Kumar's party, the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), ended its 17-year alliance with the BJP on the weekend, in protest against its decision to place Narendra Modi in charge of its election campaign.Dr Manmohan Singh said he expects "like-minded parties" to support his government in Parliament, where crucial legislation on economic and welfare reforms is pending.

As chief minister, Mr Kumar will take a vote of confidence on Wednesday. The JD(U) is four votes short of a majority. The Congress has six seats in the Bihar Assembly. So far, neither side has spoken of the Congress helping Mr Kumar bridge the gap.While announcing his split with the BJP at a press conference on Sunday, Mr Kumar did not name Mr Modi but was critical of him with a spree of references. Earlier this month, the BJP appointed Mr Modi as Chairman of its election campaign committee. The JDU said in a statement that this is is "a mere ceremonial prelude to his nomination as the prime ministerial candidate."Mr Kumar is heavily dependent on the support of Muslim voters in Bihar so his exit hopes to establish that he will not be part of an alliance that allows the rise of Mr Modi. The JD(U) describes the Gujarat Chief Minister as a divisive leader who did not do enough to protect hundreds of Muslims who were killed in his state in riots in 2002.