Congress' poll strategist Prashant Kishor meets Mulayam again, triggers 'grand alliance' speculations

Poll strategist Prashant Kishot today met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, triggering speculation of a grand alliance ahead of the crucial 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," said Shivpal.

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 1 November.

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.

--PTI

Also read: Congress denies reports of alliance with Samajwadi Party in UP