Akhilesh meets Mayawati at later's residence, refuses to speak to media

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav met with his alliance partner, BSP chief Mayawati here on Monday against the backdrop of exit poll predictions projecting a non-too-rosy picture for the grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

The meeting between them took place at BSP supremo's Mall Avenue residence here. After the meeting, Yadav refused to speak to media.

"Not now, if I will have to speak, I will speak later," said former UP CM to media persons seeking his comments on the exit poll predictions and the meeting with his alliance partner.

Both Akhilesh and Mayawati have made no comments so far on the exit-poll predictions.

With the seven-phased elections coming to an end yesterday, all eyes are on the counting of votes for 542 Lok Sabha constituencies on May 23.

Several exit polls on television channels have projected that the BJP-led NDA will retain power at the Centre with most pollsters giving Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

The opposition, however, has rejected the exit polls and questioned their authenticity.

Predictions for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance varied from good to very poor by different pollsters.