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Amar Singh meets Sonia, discusses possibility of tie-up
New Delhi, Jan 24: Amidst coalition-building exercise ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh had a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence here and discussed the possibility of a tie-up for the coming electoral bout.
Emerging out of over 90-minute meeting with the AICC
chief, the first direct contact between SP and Congress since
efforts to firm up alliances got underway in right earnest a
few weeks ago, Singh told reporters that he came to invite
Gandhi to attend his birthday function on January 27 here.
He said he also discussed the political situation in the
state and clarified that SP's stand was very clear not to join
any front. "We are open to give and take support based on
issues."
About a fortnight back, Gandhi had spoken to SP chief
Mulayam Singh Yadav over phone and sought a meeting with him
on efforts to cobble a front to take on BJP-led NDA in the
polls. The Congress provides outside support to Mulayam Singh Yadav government in UP.
The meeting between the two leaders assume significance
in the backdrop of warming up ties between Congress and BSP, a
key player in up electoral scene, and SP's refusal to be part
of any combination which has in it Mayawati-led party.
The BSP has, however, kept the guessing game going about
its stand on joining any front and left the decision to
Mayawati.
With decks appearing to be cleared for the return of
former UP chief minister Kalyan Singh, whose RKP is a
constituent of Mulayam government, into BJP, other dominant
players in the state, including SP and Congress, may be forced
to redraw their strategies.
Bureau Report