Cong doesn't want SP-BSP 'ghatbandhan' to lose: Moily

Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said on Thursday his party did not want the SP-BSP-RLD alliance to lose in Uttar Pradesh and that it may enter into an understanding with the 'ghatbandhan' in segments where it is not strong in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

He said the Congress has chosen to fight the polls in UP, an electorally crucial state with 80 seats, on its own strength after the SP-BSP offered it only two seats. "For a national party like the Congress, we cannot take like that (the offer of only two seats). That is why we are putting up candidates," Moily told PTI in a telephonic interview. "And while putting up candidates, there may be seat understanding even without 'ghatbandhan'. You will see that trend. Wherever we (Congress) are interested...they (SP-BSP) are interested to defeat the BJP, there may be an understanding.

"We do not want our (SP-BSP-RLD) 'ghatbandhan' people to lose. That kind of an understanding will take place between the Congress, BSP and SP," the former CM of Karnataka said.