SP considers NCP for LS alliance

Samajwadi Party is exploring the possibility of forming a pre-poll alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Making this announcement at a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon, SP general secretary Amar Singh said that his party was open to an alliance with the NCP. The SP has already announced that it wants to contest at least 10 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

SP is keen on fielding candidates in Mumbai South, Mumbai Northeast, Mumbai North-Central, Thane, Aurangabad and Yavatmal. The details of three other constituencies are yet to be made known.

On fielding a candidate from the Mumbai Northwest seat against Congress Member of Parliament Priya Dutt, Amar Singh said, "Though I personally do not want to filed a candidate, a final decision will be taken by party's parliamentary board. The announcement assumes significance with the SP already declaring Priya Dutt's brother and Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt or his wife Manyata as its candidate from Lucknow.

Priya Dutt's father, late Sunil Dutt represented the North-West on Congress seat for five terms. The Shiv Sena wrestled the seat from the Congress in 1996 and 1998.

During the 1994 assembly elections, SP's Mumbai chief Abu Azmi contested from the Bhiwandi assembly constituency. He lost to Sena candidate Yogesh Patil by 40,000 votes. The SP has nine corporators in the BMC.