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AAP's Sanjay Singh meets Akhilesh, hints at alliance with Samajwadi Party
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said that the two leaders held strategic discussions on common issues of Uttar Pradesh to get rid of the BJP-led government.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh’s Wednesday meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has triggered fresh speculations of a possible alliance between the two parties ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told news agency ANI that the two leaders held strategic discussions on common issues of Uttar Pradesh in a bid to get rid of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.
While Singh didn’t give explicit confirmation on the alliance, he hinted that the two parties are heading towards the same. After an hour-long meeting with Akhilesh Yadav at the Lohia Trust office in Lucknow, the AAP leader said there has not been any discussion on the seat-sharing formula and they will provide information if there they arrive at any decision regarding the alliance.
“I met Akhilesh Yadav. Strategic discussion took place on common issues to free Uttar Pradesh from BJP. If the talks regarding the alliance are decided then the information will be given. No talk about seats yet,” news agency ANI quoted Sanjay Singh as saying.
UP polls: SP, RLD strike pact, discuss seat-sharing formula
Samajwadi Party is swiftly moving ahead to stitch an alliance with other smaller regional parties to make a comeback in the state after five years. On Tuesday, SP sealed an alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the Assembly polls and also discussed a seat-sharing formula, according to people familiar with the development.
While neither Akhilesh Yadav nor RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary gave any official confirmation, both tweeted photographs of them together with captions indicating they were moving ahead for an alliance.
“Towards the change with Shri Jayant Chaudhary,” Akhilesh tweeted in Hindi. “Badhtey kadam (taking steps forward),” wrote Jayant.
RLD national secretary and spokesperson Anil Dubey later said that the alliance is likely to be declared formally within a day or two.
(With inputs from agencies)
