Akhilesh-Mayawati leave Cong in lurk in UP

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati met in Delhi on Friday to discuss the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming general election in the Hindi heartland state of Uttar Pradesh.

Sources had earlier informed India Today that both parties have rejected the idea of forming alliance with the Congress party.

It is speculated that the Samajwadi Party will contest from 35 seats, the BSP from 36 seats, Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) from four seats and four seats will be kept reserved.

Sources also say that the two parties have decided to not field any candidate from either Amethi or Raibareli – both bastions of the Congress party.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is an MP from Amethi, and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi from Raibareli.