Queries on alliance with SP faction hypothetical: Congress

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The Congress party on Monday said it will not reply to "hypothetical questions" on whether it will ally with the Samajwadi Party or its breakaway faction ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Earlier, the Congress had said that it would not ally with any party before the elections.

"Has the party split? The party hasn't broken, so why should we discuss this issue? Had the spilt happened and then you had asked me the question, I would have replied," Congress Spokesperson R.P.N. Singh said replying to a question during a media briefing.

"I can't answer hypothetical questions at this moment. What has been simmering for the last three four years in the Samajwadi party is imploding now," he added.

Asked about Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's statement earlier that described Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav a "good guy", Singh said: "Some might be a great guy personally, but may not be a great politician.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) does not mean that if he is good guy, he will be good in everything. He never said he is a good Chief Minister. He could not fulfil the expectations of the people of Uttar Pradesh," he added.

However, within the party circles of the Congress, there are voices who support allying with Akhilesh, if at all the split within the Samajwadi Party happens.

Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party was in turmoil on Monday as party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav publicly pulled up his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at a meeting, which ended on a fiery note, with sacked minister Shivpal Yadav calling Akhilesh a "liar".

The Shivpal and Akhilesh factions within the once united party came to blows ahead of the meeting called by Mulayam Singh, who made it clear that he would never let go either his brother Shivpal Yadav or long-time aide Amar Singh, who the Chief Minister intensely dislikes.

On Sunday, the Samajwadi Party appeared headed for a split as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav ousted uncle Shivpal Yadav and three others from the government, while the party brass sacked his backer and MP Ram Gopal Yadav from the party in an intensifying dynastic power struggle ahead of next year's election.

--IANS

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