SP announces divorce from JD(U)-RJD-SP grand alliance in Bihar

TNN

New Delhi, 03 Aug 2015: In a big jolt for Nitish Kumar-led "grand alliance", Samajwadi Party on Thursday decided to contest Bihar assembly elections independently. 

 

"SP parliamentary board has decided to contest Bihar elections independently," party leader Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters in Lucknow. 

 

"If need be, we will speak to some other parties for support, but that is not on the table as of now," Ram Gopal Yadav added. 

 

SP’s Bihar leaders were feeling ’cheated’ after being given just five of the 243 seats in the alliance. 

 

All top leaders, including party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav attended the brainstorming session. 

 

SP chief Mulayam was conspicuous by his absence at the August 30 rally of anti-BJP parties in Patna. 

 

Earlier, he did not attend an iftar party organised by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and openly opposed her party’s boycott of Parliament.

 

Besides, he also went for an unscheduled meeting with PM Narendra Modi last week.