Congress rules out possibility of alliance with SP in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The Congress Party on Sunday downplayed election strategist Prashant Kishor's second purported meeting with Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and categorically stated that it would not enter into an alliance with the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh for next year's assembly polls.

"Prashant Kishor ji joined the Congress Party to give some advice. Other than that, he has his own status. He has the position of an advisor to the Bihar Government. He has the rank of a Cabinet Minister. So, he visits places because of that," Congress leader P.L. Punia told ANI.

The Congress leader lambasted the media for spreading false information, which he dubbed as absolutely ridiculous.

"There is no truth in it. The Congress will fight the elections alone and there is no decision of alliance with any party," he added.

Kishor earlier on Tuesday held a two-hour long meeting with Mulayam, who is trying to form an alliance of like-minded parties ahead of next year's assembly polls.

Kishor met the Samajwadi Party leaders and apparently discussed the possibility of an alliance before the poll dates are announced.

Mulayam is currently struggling to resolve a power tussle between his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his younger brother Shivpal Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party boss is said to be in favour of such an alliance to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the politically crucial state.