UP: Congress refuses to rule out alliance with SP

Two days back, party vice president Rahul Gandhi had kept people guessing on the alliance question, remarking that the election in the politically crucial state will be an "exciting affair".

New Delhi, Jan 13: With speculations rife of a Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the AICC on Friday declined to rule out such a tie up.

"We are neither agreeing, nor disagreeing with any of your speculation in the highly evolving, rapidly transforming minute-to-minute (scenario)...," Congress spokesman Abhsihek Singhvi told reporters.

He preceded the remark by saying that the Congress was "ready and rearing" to fight all the 403 Assembly seats of the politically key state. He said the party has made huge preparations for contesting all the seats.

He was asked whether the Congress is going in for an alliance with Samajwadi Party which has Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the leader. Two days back, party vice president Rahul Gandhi had kept people guessing on the alliance question, remarking that the election in the politically crucial state will be an "exciting affair".

"Uttar Pradesh mein maja aayega (it will be an exciting affair)," he had said while delivering valedictory address of Congress' 'Jan Vedna' meeting against note ban here. The remarks of the Congress spokesman came on a day the Election Commission reserved its order in Samajwadi Party election symbol dispute case.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Congress could secure just two seats-- Amethi and Rae Bareli-- pocketboroughs of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, out of 80 seats in the Narendra Modi-led BJP wave.

PTI