No grand alliance in UP? SP rules out tie-up with RLD, to ally only with Congress

LUCKNOW: Hopes of a 'maha gathbandhan' against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh were dashed on Thursday with the Samajwadi Party ruling out any alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), but asserting a tie-up with the Congress+ .

"We will forge an alliance only with the Congress. We will not ally with the RLD+ . No talks are going on with them (RLD). We will contest from over 300 seats (out of 403)+ and the Congress will be there for the rest of them," SP national vice-president Kironmoy Nanda said.

As regards finalisation of candidates, he said, "SP has finalised its candidates for the first and second phases (of the upcoming polls). Now, it is up to the Congress to decide on their nominees."

Nanda said the details of the seats would be announced by SP national president Akhilesh Yadav.
The decisions regarding forging an alliance and seats were taken at a marathon six-hour meeting held by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with senior SP leaders today.

Sources said RLD wanted more seats than what SP was ready to part with.

Source:-Timesofindia

No grand alliance in UP? SP rules out tie-up with RLD, to ally only with Congress

LUCKNOW: Hopes of a 'maha gathbandhan' against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh were dashed on Thursday with the Samajwadi Party ruling out any alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), but asserting a tie-up with the Congress+ .

"We will forge an alliance only with the Congress. We will not ally with the RLD+ . No talks are going on with them (RLD). We will contest from over 300 seats (out of 403)+ and the Congress will be there for the rest of them," SP national vice-president Kironmoy Nanda said.

As regards finalisation of candidates, he said, "SP has finalised its candidates for the first and second phases (of the upcoming polls). Now, it is up to the Congress to decide on their nominees."

Nanda said the details of the seats would be announced by SP national president Akhilesh Yadav.
The decisions regarding forging an alliance and seats were taken at a marathon six-hour meeting held by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with senior SP leaders today.

Sources said RLD wanted more seats than what SP was ready to part with.

"After the alliance with the Congress, we will get an absolute majority in the state and Akhilesh will become chief minister again," Nanda asserted, adding that the SP will release its poll manifesto soon.

Talks with the RLD, sources said, failed as it wanted more seats but the SP was not ready to oblige.

"We wanted the seats of our choice but there was no agreement on it," RLD spokesman Anil Dubey later said.

Source:-TOI

Samajwadi Party's mobile app launched

The party, he said, was wedded to the idea of use of modern technology to spread messages and hence the application. Party leaders said the application is available on three platforms - Apple IOS, Android and Windows and it can be downloaded from the official website of the party.

Besides, Yadav added this application would be friendly to both the urban and the rural areas and would can be used to gather information about various government policies, projects and programmes. http://post.jagran.com/samajwadi-partys-mobile-app-launched-1439535660

Source: Uttar Pradesh News

Two UP ministers sacked after facing Mulayam's ire

While Singh was Agriculture Minister, Paras was a Minister of State for Stamp and Civil Defence.

   

Though no reason has been cited by the government for sacking of these ministers, party sources said that SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was unhappy with Singh's son Kirtivardhan joining BJP.

   

Kirtivardhan had in a press conference in Gonda on Saturday attacked Mulayam, accusing him of propagating dynastic politics. He had even alleged that he had to pay a "bribe" of Rs 5000 to meet Mulayam when he was the Chief Minister though he was a party MP, a charge denied by the Samajwadi Party.

"In 2004, when Yadav was CM, I had to give Rs 5000 packet to his personal secretary to meet him in the capacity of MP," Singh, who resigned from SP and joined BJP recently, told reporters.

    

The sources said Paras was also involved in anti-party activities and that Mulayam had received complaints against him. With their sacking, the leadership intends to send a strong message to party men ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

   

Voicing dissatisfaction with the performance of UP Ministers, Mulayam had on Wednesday said that the state government was "weakening" the party and had ticked off his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asking him to keep distance from "sycophants".

   

"I have not reviewed the performance of ministers in the state government but I know what they are doing. Ministers and officers, you all should mend your ways within 10 days.... The party is bigger than the government.... This government is weakening the party," Mulayam had said pulling up Akhilesh government. Some persons are trying to betray me and think that they will continue as ministers...," he had warned.

   

The Agriculture Department would be looked after by the CM while the departments held by Paras would remain with Cabinet Minister Mahendra Aridaman Singh, the sources said.

(Agencies)

Source: Latest News

Book praises Mayawati, leaves Akhilesh government embarrassed

The Samajwadi Party (SP), which had referred to the parks and monuments built under Mayawati’s rule as ‘a colossal wastage of public money’, now seems to have a change of heart, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui said in the House on Monday.

The book ‘Uttar Pradesh 2013’, which was published by the state information and public relations department and released a few days ago by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, has detailed these monuments as ‘new visiting attractions’ here.

Referring to the book, the Leader of Opposition said that by stating the ‘truth’, the false propaganda of the government against Dalit leader Mayawati of plundering public money has been exposed.

Health Minister Ahmad Hasan, however, rubbished the charges.

Siddiqui, however, said that since the book was presented by Information Director Prabhat Mittal, it should be seen as a publication backed by the state government.

"The sham of the government in ridiculing our government for making parks and monuments has been exposed," Siddiqui added.

Sources said the Chief Minister was very upset with the oversight, which has left his government red-faced. The information department refused to comment on the controversy though some officials admitted in private that a ‘blunder had indeed taken place’.

(Agencies)

Source: Latest News

LS polls: Akhilesh confident of winning maximum seats in UP

"Samajwadi Party does not indulge in politics of religion and caste but works towards ensuring that benefits of various government schemes reach the public," Akhilesh said while speaking at an event in Kanpur.

   

On a question by reporters on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Akhilesh chose not to give a direct reply but said, "SP was secular and hence, we believe the party will win maximum seats in the elections.”

   

He also criticized the media for giving out only negative reports about the government.

(Agencies)

Source: Online Current News

Finance panel team to meet UP officials

The team, headed by former chairman of the Reserve Bank of India YP Reddy, would speak to the officials on the matters affecting the financial health of the state, while the UP officials are likely to apprise the visiting team of the needs of state.

An official told that an exhaustive presentation has been prepared by the finance department and during its deliberations with the finance commission; they would be justifying the demand for more funding and financial assistance.

The team has already met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav late on Wednesday. The team will also meet representatives of trade organizations and some industrialists to understand their problems, said an official.

(Agencies)

Source: Latest News