SP to fight on 5 seats in Gujarat , coalition with congress intact

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party on Monday announced that it will contest from five seats in the forthcoming Gujarat assembly polls and support Congress in the remaining seats. Making this announcement at a press conference here, SP president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said,"We do not want to cut Congress votes, hence will just contest from five seats where the SP has some vote bank." "I will campaign in Gujarat for SP candidates and if Congress wants, then I can also address public meetings for their candidates too," he said.

Claiming that Gujarat elections would be a referendum of Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government at the Centre, the SP president said " In next general assembly elections, UP voters will give their verdict against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. Commenting on Gujarat growth model, Akhilesh Yadav said that Ahmedabad still doesn't have a Metro despite the project being started 10 years back while Lucknow Metro became a reality in two years time." "So which model is better, UP model of SP or the Gujarat model of BJP?" he questioned. When asked about rampant corruption during SP rule in UP, the former CM said sarcastically, "BJP is the most honest party while other parties are totally corrupt." (UNI)