Congress does not rule out inclusion of RLD in maha gathbandhan in UP

NEW DELHI: Congress today kept the hopes of a 'maha gathbandhan' against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh alive by not ruling out the inclusion of RLD in the tie-up for the key assembly polls in the state.

"Contours of the alliance are being worked out. So...it is premature for me to say something on the issue till things are finalised," Congress chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

He said this when asked whether the RLD has been kept out of the tie-up.

Earlier in the day, the Samajwadi Party national vice president Kironmoy Nanda had ruled out any alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), asserting his party would have a tie-up with Congress only.

"We will forge an alliance only with the Congress. We will not ally with the RLD. No talks are going on with them (RLD). We will contest from over 300 seats (out of 403) and the Congress will be there for the rest of them," Nanda had said in Lucknow.

The decisions regarding forging an alliance and seats were taken at a marathon six-hour meeting held by Chief Minister and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav with senior party leaders today.

Sources said the RLD wanted more seats than what the SP was ready to part with.

Congress reportedly offered some 20 seats to RLD chief Ajit Singh's son Jayant Choudhary, who is in touch with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.