Left out, Rahul Gandhi says will fight with 'full might'

NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi said his party will take its own stand in UP and fight Lok Sabha polls with "full might". Addressing a press conference in Abu Dhabi, Rahul said, "Mayawatiji and Akhileshji have taken a political decision. Now, Congress has to stand on our own in UP. We'll fight the Lok Sabha poll with full might."

Gandhi's comments came amid repeated assertions from Congress leaders on Saturday that the party was a force to be reckoned with in UP and that the political opposition must synergise against BJP to maximise results in 2019. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singvi said the Modi government's fear of the SP-BSP alliance was clear in the way the Centre had unleased the probe agencies Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh has been charged with being involved in a mining scam.

AICC general secretary in-charge of UP, Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, was more cautious and said the party would come out with a detailed reaction in Lucknow on Sunday.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said Azad would give a structured response to it on Sunday. "Insofar as alliances are concerned, we have always believed that state-specific alliances, which further progressive and pluralistic ideals," he said.