Lucknow, Aug 27: The 16-member Congress party today extended support to Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav in forming an alternative government in Uttar Pradesh. UPCC president Jagdambika Pal and Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tewari met Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri and handed over a letter to him extending support of its 16 MLAs to Yadav in government formation. Earlier, Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav said he would not submit any list of MLAs supporting him to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri as sought by him for government formation.
Yadav told a news agency that he and other Opposition leaders had decided against submitting any list to the Governor as legislative assembly and not Raj Bhavan is the appropriate forum to test majority of any government.
"The Governor should first invite us to form government and we will then prove our majority on the floor of the House," he said.
The SP chief said barring BSP and BJP, all political parties had extended support to him in government formation.
"Besides, all the Indpendents have assured me their support," he said.
A meeting of Opposition leaders was held at Rashtriya Kranti Party Chief Kalyan Singh`s residence last night to finalise strategy regarding formation of an alternative government.

Bureau Report