UP polls: Mulayam rules out alliance with Congress, but says merger possible

This statement comes in wake of constant statements by party leaders from both political outfits that such speculations were untrue.

New Delhi:

Days after Congress poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s frantic forays into the Samajwadi camp, party Supremo Mulayam Singh, on Thursday clarified that there will be no alliance with the grand old party.

This statement comes in the wake of constant statements by party functionaries belonging to both political outfits that such speculations were not true.

Speaking to reporters at Lucknow, Yadav said that, “Samajwadi Party will not form any alliance. Only merger is possible.”

There has been speculation of a \"maha-gathbandhan\" among erstwhile Janata Parivar parties and Congress to check BJP's prospects in the state.

During Kishor’s last meeting with Akhilesh, they are understood to have discussed threadbare the states political scenario ahead of the upcoming elections. However, Akhilesh sounded cautious and not in a hurry when he said factors like who will benefit and who will lose in case of an alliance have to be considered.

Kishor's back-to-back talks with Mulayam and Akhilesh also came close on the heels of top leaders of socialist-leaning parties attending SPs silver jubilee meet -- a move seen as an attempt by Mulayam to forge an alliance for the crucial polls hardly a few months away.