New Delhi, July 21 - Keen to revive the party's prospects in Bihar ahead of assembly elections in 2010, some Congress leaders from the state are in favour of an alliance with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan, but only if he parts ways with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) boss Lalu Prasad.

'There is a strong feeling among Congress leaders and workers from Bihar that the party should have an alliance with Paswan during the assembly elections, but they want it only if he leaves Lalu Prasad,' a senior Congress leader from Bihar told IANS.

The Congress leaders say that an alliance with Paswan will help the party get Dalit votes, while Lalu Prasad has been antagonising the upper castes by speaking against them.

With this in mind, 'some Congress leaders are trying to help Paswan get into the Rajya Sabha after his defeat in the Lok Sabha election, and are trying to convince the party leadership on this', a Congress leader said.