SP-BSP pact: Cong looks to join as Akhilesh seeks more smaller parties

New Delhi, Jan 5: An SP-BSP combine to take on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is soon becoming a reality. Mayawati of the BSP and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party are said to have met in Delhi to discuss the alliance.

The two parties have however remained silent over the development. A final decision on the alliance is expected on January 15. Sources say that the SPi is in favour of including more regional players.

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The Congress on the other hand wants to be part of the alliance and has even spoken with the SP about the same. The BSP is however not in favour of the Congress being part of the alliance.

Before finalising the alliance, Yadav is scheduled to meet K Chandrashekar Rao of the TRS and discuss setting up an anti-BJP front.

On Friday, Mayawati and Yadav are said to have discussed a possible tie up ahead of the elections. Following the meeting, Yadav met with Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav in the presence of the BSP's Satish Mishra.

While the two leaders discussed the possible tie up and the seat sharing formula, there was no mention of the Congress. The talks focused on equally distributing the Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh between them. It may be recalled that the two parties had earlier decided that there would be no candidate fielded by either of them from Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Mayawati is learnt to have emphasised on her party contesting in more seats. She also said that the RLD be accommodated in the coalition. Both sides have however ruled out the Congress being part of the coalition.

It may be recalled that the SP and BSP had come together and defeated the BJP in the by-polls held to three Lok Sabha constituencies in UP.