SP wants all-India alliance with Cong

New Delhi, Sep 1 (UNI) The Samajwadi Party (SP) today sought seat-sharing with the Congress in other states even as the two parties reached a consensus on seat adjustment for Uttar Pradesh.

The SP wants that the Congress should accommodate its interests in four states -- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttarakhand -- where it has marginal presence.

''The Congress is weak in Uttar Pradesh, but we are accommodating its expectations in the state, so in the same way, it should take care of our interest in the four states,'' SP general secretary Amar Singh said here.

He was talking to mediapersons after the maiden meet of his party on the seat-sharing issue with the Congress in the country's most populated state.

''We have made a formal request to Rahul Gandhi to consider this legitimate demand of our party,'' said Mr Singh.

He, however, said even if an agreement with the Congress fails to reach Uttar Pradesh, the party would not put up candidates against Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi.

Today's discussion between the two parties was confined to the issue of seat-sharing in Uttar Pradesh.

The SP had on Saturday declined the Congress offer to join the Union Cabinet, saying its first priority was the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party leaders had earlier also expressed their keenness to conclude an agreement on All-India alliance with the Congress.

The next round of seat-sharing talks between the two parties will be held on September 8.

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