New Delhi, Sept 10: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav tonight met Sonia Gandhi and made a strong plea for Congress' participation in his coalition government asking the party leadership to reconsider its decision to give outside support. "We thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her support in the formation of an alternate secular government ending the tyranny of the BSP-led government in the state. We now want that the Congress Party should participate in the coalition government", Yadav told reporters after a 30-minute meeting with Gandhi, the first after becoming Chief Minister.

Yadav, who was accompanied by his party general secretary Amar Singh at the meeting, said that they told Gandhi that Congress participation in his government would further strengthen the "good beginning" initiated by her if Congress joined the SP-led coalition. Gandhi, Yadav said has told him about the Congress working committee's decision earlier to support the SP-led government from outside but requested her to "reconsider" the decision.

Earlier in the day, he admitted it was a mistake on his part to have opposed Gandhi on the basis of her origin.

Bureau Report