SP asks Cong to clarify stand on BSP in INDIA bloc meet

New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) During the fourth meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), the Samajwadi Party urged the Congress to avoid the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh.

According to sources, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav during the meeting on Tuesday made it clear to the Congress that it is ready for the alliance in the state.

However, the source said the Samahwadi party leaders during the meeting told the Congress leaders that it does not want the BSP as part of the alliance in the state and also asked if it was holding talks with the BSP or was in touch with it for an alliance.

To the questions of the Samajwadi Party leaders, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge assured them that it will contest elections in alliance with it and the RLD in the state.

Kharge also said that many things appear in the media and they do not need to be believed.

The apprehensions were raised during the fourth meeting of the INDIA bloc on Tuesday where every party leader spoke one by one.

On Tuesday, even West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee proposed the idea of projecting Mallikarjin Kharge as the prime ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc. The idea was also endorsed by Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, during the meeting, it has been decided to finalise the seat sharing talks by December end and also hold a nationwide protest over the suspension of 141 MPs on December 22.

The INDIA bloc parties also decided to hold eight to ten public meetings across the country in the coming days ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.