Ready to support UPA: SP

Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh today indicated that the party would support the UPA but said the nature of support would depend on "what the alliance wants from us".  

"We are happy that secular forces are progressing but the nature of support would depend upon what they (UPA) want from us," Singh told reporters here.  

"We talked to Prime Minister Manomohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and congratulated them on the the outcome of the elections. It is not proper to make public our conversation with the Prime Minister. In the evening, we are going to meet the Prime Minister," he said.  

Replying to question whether the SP would be a part of the government, he said: "It is the prerogative of the Prime Minister.  

"We will support a secular and non-communal government and what will be the shape and form of our support, it solely depends on them. We are a donor and ready to give our support," he said. 

When asked what would be the stand of the Samajwadi Party if an offer comes to join the UPA government, Singh said, "party President Mulayam Singh Yadav has nominated me to decide on this and I will be talking to Congress."     

However, he said the party was against communal and non-secular forces and left it for the Prime Minister to take a call on it. "It is all up to the Prime Minister to involve SP in the government."     

Singh said he was trying to contact senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee.     

"I could not talk to Pranab Mukherjee since he was busy in meetings yesterday and I will be contacting him," he said.     

Singh downplayed media reports that party general secretary Azam Khan has resigned, saying there was "no misunderstanding between him and Khan".     

"Azam Khan is my elder brother. I can't ignore his contribution to the party. There is no misunderstanding with Azam Khan," he said.     

However, Singh said, "Azam Khan should have expressed his displeasure during the party's parliamentary board meeting and should not have gone public over any issue."