JD (S) to contest 45 assembly seats in UP poll

Lucknow, Mar 7 (UNI) The breakaway group from former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) today announced it would contest 45 seats in Uttar Pradesh assembly poll.

The faction, led by Surendra Mohan which claims to be the real JD(S), said the party will contest the UP poll in alliance with Jan Morcha, CPI and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

''We are the real secular party and will have truck with only those who care for the masses,'' he said here.

Appreciating the role of former PM V P Singh on his tirade against the SEZs, the JD(S) national president said SEZs will lead to unemployment in the country.

Clarifying his party's status after the split from Mr Gowda, he said as the former PM had supported BJP in Karnataka, he was not a secular person anymore.

UNI