Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Yadav on Saturday claimed that he has the support of Samajwadi Party veteran Mulayam Singh Yadav and that he is keen to stitch an alliance with the Congress party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

He told the media, "I know Neta Ji is with me. I have made this party with his permission. But he is attached to the party that he founded. I had requested to be included in the alliance of secular party. I had requested Akhilesh also. We want an alliance with Congress and have spoken to some leaders of the party as well."

This comes after the Samajwadi Party on Friday announced its first batch of six candidates for Uttar Pradesh. The party has fielded Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri parliamentary constituency.

The Congress released its first list for Lok Sabha polls on Thursday that included contenders for 11 seats in UP, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi from their respective constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi.

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