Patna, May 4 (PTI) Senior RJD leader Manoj Jha on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was initially opposed to caste census, agreed to the exercise later under pressure from the opposition.

The RJD national spokesperson said this while addressing a press conference of the INDIA bloc after a meeting of the leaders of Mahagathbandhan from all 243 assembly constituencies ahead of the assembly polls due later this year.

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"Our leaders (Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav) have been demanding caste census for many years. Of course, other opposition leaders were also demanding the same. Initially, the PM opposed the caste census, but finally he agreed to the exercise under pressure from the opposition parties," Jha said.

The RJD will closely watch the entire exercise, he said adding that caste census is a first step and after that, there would be many others - reservation limit should be increased and there should be provision of reservation in the private sector.

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In a veiled attack on Union minister Chirag Psawan, who supported caste census but opposed making the data public, Jha said, "We will not accept the suggestion from a big leader from Bihar that after the census the findings should not me made public."

"Findings are not meant to be a decorative item to be kept in drawing rooms. These must be followed by steps like increase in reservation, provision for reservation in private sectors etc," he said.

Paswan, who heads Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), recently told media persons that he favours it since specific data is needed for allocation of funds for community-based development schemes.

He, however, said the data should not be made public as it may create further division in society.

Commenting on the meeting of INDIA bloc during the day, Jha said leaders of of the alliance partners resolved to contest the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar unitedly, strongly and in a coordinated manner to ensure an impressive electoral victory for Mahagathbandhan.

Leaders of the alliance will raise all issues concerning youth, farmers, workers, women, general public, socially marginalised and weakers sections of the society and highlight the allged anti-people policies of the Bihar government, he said.

"Leaders of Mahagathbandhan will inform the public about the misdeeds of the NDA government at the Center as well as in the state," Jha said.

The meeting was attended by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Congress' in-charge of Bihar, Krishna Allavaru, and others.

"The objective of today's meeting was to evolve a mechanism for better coordination among the INDIA bloc partners. People are fed-up with the NDA government and they want change. Many suggested that such meetings should be held at the district level, block level, and even panchayat level. INDIA bloc will contest all 243 seats in Bihar... The symbol may vary, but ultimately, all will be Mahagathbandhan candidates", he said.

Jha said Mahagathbandhan will extend its support to the all-India strike called by central trade unions on May 20 in the state.

"Leaders of constituents of INDIA bloc will come out on the street across the state in support of the all-India strike called by the central trade unions on May 20 against the implementation of the four labour codes by the Modi government," said the RJD leader.

The four labour codes passed by Parliament replaced 29 existing labour laws. These codes regulate wages, industrial relations, social security, occupational safety, health and working conditions.

Contrary to the claims of the Modi government that the Labour Codes are meant to universalise coverage and simplify labour laws, they in fact exclude large sections of workers including those in the organised sector who were earlier covered by protective measures under the existing labour laws, claimed another leader of the RJD.

The Mahagathbandhan in Bihar comprises RJD, Congress, CPIML (L), CPI, CPI(M) and Viaksheel Insaan Party (VIP).

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