SP pulls out of grand anti-BJP alliance, to contest Bihar polls alone

Says it felt 'humiliated' as it was not consulted before finalising seats for each party

The Samajwadi Party today pulled out of the 'grand alliance' in poll-bound Bihar, saying it felt "humiliated" as it was not consulted while deciding seats and would contest the Assembly elections in the state on its own.

The SP's decision ahead of the Bihar polls comes as a jolt to the grand alliance, which was floated to counter the BJP in the state.

SP National General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters here that "In Bihar the party will contest separately. The bigger parties in the alliance did not consult us while declaring seats due to which the SP felt humiliated. This is not the 'gatbandhan dharma'".

The final decision on the Bihar Assembly polls was taken at a party parliamentary board meeting here in presence of SP national President Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Yadav said that it was the duty of the major constituents to consult the SP before deciding seat sharing. He added that the d the party was not happy with the paltry two or five seats offered out of the 243 in the state assembly.

"We will win much more seats by contesting on our own as compared to that being offered by the alliance," he said.

On the future of 'Janata Pariwar', Yadav said at that time itself he had said that he would not sign the "death warrant" of the party.

"Respecting the sentiments of the party workers, SP has decided to go all alone in Bihar Assembly elections," he said.

The JD(U) and Lalu Prasad-led RJD have been alloted 100 seats each while the Congress got 40. The NCP was alloted three seats.