BSP yet to decide on alliance with Congress: Mayawati

NEW DELHI, Feb 2 (UNI) BSP supremo Mayawati today said her party was yet to decide on having an alliance with any party and would do so only after the Lok Sabha election dates were announced.

Setting at rest speculations about a possible BSP-Congress alliance prompted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi's meeting with her on Saturday night, she said,"I have called today's press conference only to vehemently deny press reports about any alliance with the Congress." "Mrs Gandhi just had a general discussion with me on how to confront the communal forces," she said.

Mayawati said she had called for reports from the various state units of her party seeking suggestions on alliance with other parties.

She would take a final decision on the matter only after receiving the reports units keeping in view the interest of Bahujan Samaj as also her past experiences with alliances.

Asked whether she was delaying taking any decision on an alliance with the Congress because of some pressure by the BJP, she said she was not the one to come under pressure from anybody or party.

"Let the BJP do whatever it likes," she added.

The former UP chief minister said she favoured strengthening the hands of secular forces but felt it was not necessary to contest elections together with a secular party.

The BSP could also contribute its mite in strengthening secular forces by going it alone, she added.