Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said it is the Congress’s responsibility to bring parties with similar ideology under one umbrella and added that it is his party that can turn out to be a friend of the Congress if the country’s oldest political party becomes weaker. He also said that Congress leaders who are not fielded by their party for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh can join his outfit.

Akhilesh was apparently angry after a SP candidate, Arjun Arya, refused to contest on the party ticket from Budhni, the assembly seat represented by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Moreover, Arya even expressed a wish to join the Congress.

Asked about this, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, “The Congress annoyed the BSP the same way. If there is a Congress leader behind this (Arya’s refusal), we welcome all those who want to contest on the SP ticket. I would not say that the Congress should take our candidates, but it may feel bad if I say that those not fielded by the Congress can join the SP.”

“But remember one thing - when the Congress becomes weaker, the SP can prove its friend. This is the Congress’s responsibility to bring parties with similar ideology under one umbrella,” the SP leader added.

The UP-based party, which released a list of six candidates Sunday for the Madhya Pradesh elections, had announced to field Arya from Budhni. Arya, however, had said the Congress is the only party capable of defeating the BJP in MP, where the saffron outfit is in power since 2003. “Only alternative to defeat the anti-farmer BJP rule is the Congress.  So, with due respect I refused to contest on the SP ticket and go with the Congress,” he had said.

Arya had said, “I held an agitation against the BJP government in September. I was arrested and kept in Bhopal jail, where former chief minister Digvijay Singh had met me on September 18. I will soon join the Congress.”