Janata Parivar talks: Mulayam meets Ajit, Sharad

Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav today held deliberations with RLD chief Ajit Singh and senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav in separate meetings as leaders of 'Janata Parivar' outfits look to form an alliance for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls early next year.
Yadav's younger brother and his party's UP unit chief Shivpal Yadav, a keen votary of the alliance, was also part of the confabulations held at the residence of Mulayam, who later left for Lucknow, the SP sources said.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad is also in the capital.
In a show of solidarity, all these leaders besides JD(S) chief and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had come together for the SP's silver jubilee celebrations in Lucknow on November 5 after Shivpal Yadav gave a call for unity among erstwhile Janata Dal leaders.

The key to any unity will be how many seats Mulayam Singh Yadav is willing to concede to parties like RLD, which has influence in western UP, and JD(U), which has little traction in the state but is making concerted efforts under its president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to carve a niche for itself.