Even as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) decided to step up its campaign for the dropping of tainted ministers in the Manmohan Singh government, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad yesterday said he favoured a law to debar tainted people from getting berths in the Union and state governments.

"I have already voiced my opinion for a suitable legislation to prevent tainted politicians from becoming ministers at the Centre and in states," Prasad, who had been charge-sheeted in some fodder scam cases, told reporters here on his arrival from New Delhi.

"Tainted politicians should also not be allowed to contest elections," the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief said.

Prasad said a political consensus needed to be evolved for the purpose.

Soon after the resolution of the political crisis stemming from the boycott of the parliamentary committees, the BJP  said it would continue with its opposition to the tainted ministers being included in the government.

"The next targets are going to be Lalu Prasad, Taslimuddin, and M A A Fatimi (all RJD )," said a senior BJP leader.

Maintaining that inclusion of tainted ministers in his government was due to compulsion of coalition politics, the Prime Minister had in Bangkok on Saturday spoken in favour of a law to debar such people in the council of ministers on which he sought a political consensus.

"In politics the best becomes the enemy of good," Singh had said in reply to a question on the issue in the context of the Election Commission's recent proposal to bar people chargesheeted in cases six months before announcement of elections from contesting polls.

On the the high-powered coordination committee formed to sort out issues between the UPA  government and its Left allies, Prasad said there was no need for him to be a member.

"We are already pre-poll members of the UPA and therefore there is no need for me to be the member of such a committee being formed exslusively to sort out issues between the UPA government and its Left allies," he said.

The railway minister announced that his ministry would provide life-time rail passes to any sportsperson who won an Olympic medal.

The Olympic games will be staged in Athens from August 13-29. India is fielding 76-player contingent for the mega event.

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