SP should form alliance with secular forces as we did during Bihar polls: JD(U)

A day after Samajwadi Party ruled out alliance with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), the Janata Dal (United) said that the former should form alliance with the secular forces as JD(U) did during the Bihar elections.

"I believe that Uttar Pradesh elections are very important and the secular forces should be considered to form an alliance. This upcoming election is a sort of semi finals," JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav told ANI.

The Samajwadi Party yesterday ruled out tie-up with the RLD, putting an end to the speculation of a grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

"Yes we are entering into an alliance with Congress, seats will be announced soon. There were no talks with RLD," SP national vice president Kiranmoy Nanda told ANI.

The decision regarding the alliance was taken in a six-hour meeting held by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with senior SP leaders on Thursday.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, on January 17 announced an alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls under the leadership of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav had also confirmed that the party will lock itself in a pre-poll alliance with the Congress.