New Delhi, July 2: Ram Vilas Paswan today sought to underplay his apparent differences with Laloo Prasad Yadav by refuting talk of a new alliance and stressed his “first priority” was to fight the BJP.

A couple of days after the Lok Janshakti Party chief reportedly said in Bihar he would look at new options closer to Assembly polls, Paswan today said: “There is no Assembly election right now.”

“There is no question of discussing an alliance yet and I am not interested in talking about it. My stand is I will think about Assembly elections when they come,” he added.

Steel minister Paswan’s recent reported assertion on his home ground was taken as a sign that he had parted ways with Laloo Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal. Today, trying to underplay his differences with the railway minister, Paswan said: “I have not spoken a word against Laloo.”

But he was ambivalent when asked about his stand on the inclusion of “tainted” ministers — which involves RJD members including Laloo Prasad — in the United Progressive Alliance government. “I don’t want to comment on such issues,” Paswan said.

LJP sources admitted Laloo Prasad had “shortchanged” their party chief after the Lok Sabha polls on several issues, but quitting the RJD-Congress alliance at this point would be counter-productive.

With Paswan officially firm on opposing the BJP, his options are closed. The only other alliance in Bihar is that between the BJP and the Janata Dal (United).

Although Paswan’s party sources had initially floated the idea of a Congress-Dal(U)-LJP axis, there were reportedly no takers from the first two parties. Congress sources said Laloo Prasad continued to be the main anti-BJP pole in Bihar and the Dal (U) and Paswan were “no match”.

A big irritant for Paswan in regard to the Congress is its constant overtures to the Bahujan Samaj Party. Sources said his only “consolation” was that the BSP was still to establish itself as a pro-Dalit force in Bihar.

But the sources believe that if Paswan and Laloo Prasad were to part ways, the RJD chief could join hands with the BSP to partially make up for the loss of Dalit votes accruing to him from the LJP quota.

Paswan today went all out to affirm his faith in the Congress and secularism. “I have sacrificed a lot for the formation of this (UPA) government,” he said, referring to his resignation from the BJP-led Centre over the Gujarat riots.