The Janata Dal leaders favouring an alliance with the BJP in the State won the first round of their battle by forcing the party to pass a resolution to ensure a one-to-one fight against the Congress during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. ... Although the resolution did not directly seek an open alliance with the BJP, the move appeared to be aimed at having some understanding or seat adjustment with it. A five-member committee led by State JD president ... would persuade its high command to allow the State unit to formulate its own electoral strategy keeping the ground realities ... in mind. If the central leadership turned down their request, the leaders would meet again to decide their future course of action ...

The resolution said "It is historical necessity to defeat the most corrupt Congress party in the elections. To achieve this objective, the JD being a major political party resolves to make all out efforts to avoid the division of non-Congress votes." (Source: The Hindustan Times, 8 December, 1997)