Prashant Kishor meets Mulayam again, speculations of maha-gatbandhan in UP gain momentum

Congress' poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Sunday met Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam here, triggering speculation of a 'maha-gathbandhan' (grand alliance) ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

The marathon meeting, spread over two sessions and kept under wraps, came a day after top leaders of socialist-leaning parties attended SP's silver jubilee meet here — a move seen as an attempt by Mulayam to forge an alliance ahead of the assembly polls hardly a few months away.

There was no official word from either side as to what transpired at the meeting.

State SP President Shivpal Yadav said he would tell the media when such a development took place.

"When it materialises, I will tell you," Shivpal told reporters.

This is for the second time in six days that Kishor met Mulayam, who is trying to cobble together an alliance of like-minded parties.

The first meeting took place at Mulayam's Delhi residence on November 1.

Samajwadi Party, which was initially part of Bihar's grand alliance, had walked out of it after it was offered only a handful of seats to contest the assembly elections there.

The grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress had, however, scripted a glorious electoral victory, defeating the BJP-led NDA.