New Delhi: As Rahul Gandhi tried to woo the Left and JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, the communist parties rebuffed his overture saying they will not "oblige" the Congress this time while the chief minister who was warmly praised for development in Bihar ruled out joining the UPA.
The good words the AICC general secretary had for Nitish, a key NDA ally, for his work in Bihar rankled UPA allies RJD and LJP whose leaders appeared to be unhappy.
With poll results just less then two weeks away, the Left said the Congress had become "jittery" and insisted they were striving only for a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative coalition at the Centre.
The CPM, a major constituent of the four-party Left Front, also said Rahul's confidence that the Left would support the Congress and back Manmohan Singh as prime minister was "misplaced."
"We are working for a non-Congress secular government," CPM general secretary Prakash Karat.
Maintaining that Congress was "jittery" that it would not get the required numbers in these elections, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said, "They are nervous about it... I don't think the Left will oblige them this time. We won't oblige them."
Nitish Kumar said he was thankful for Rahul's praise for his work but suggested no political significance be attached and scotched any speculation that he was drifting towards UPA.
A visibly irritated RJD strongman Lalu Yadav disagreed with Rahul to say "Nitish is not doing any good work" while LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan asked why had the Congress put up candidates against Nitish's JD(U) in the elections if Rahul feels so strongly for the chief minister.