Congress steers clear of SP infighting in UP

The Congress on Sunday declined to comment on the infighting in Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party, saying "it's a fight between a father and son" and that no other party should interfere.

"It's a fight between father and son (Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav). No political party has the right to come in the way of the father and son. Let them decide," Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told the media here.

"They will have to sort out their differences between themselves. How can I advise them? if they make me the arbitrator, I'll give them advice," he said.

Asked if there are attempts by the Samajwadi Party to join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Azad, who is incharge of party affairs in the state, said: said: "How can I say which faction of the SP is trying to join hands with the BJP? But as far as I know Akhilesh personally, he is not doing it. He is a clean politician."

The state is scheduled to hold assembly elections in 2017.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav recently announced his party will not announce its chief ministerial candidate till the election results are out.

--IANS

sid/tsb/vd