Congress may go without Samajwadi Party

A powerful Congress leader told rediff.com that in all probability the party will not prefer to take Samjawadi Party's help to form the next government. "The possibility is dim," he said when asked if Congress will take help of SP in forming the new government.

The Congress leader, who was at 10, Janpath (party president Sonia Gandhi's residence), also said that "it's most unlikely" that Congress will need SP in view of the numbers of seats the Congress and its allies have got.

In real terms it means that Congress is planning to get more and more aggressive on the battleground in Uttar Pradesh. This will send jitters to Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also.

"We will form an alliance on our own terms. There is stampede at our gate," said the senior leader.

Party sources said that smaller parties from Assam, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu may help them reach the majority figure of 272.

The Congress may not need more than 15 seats for a majority and it is unlikely to invite an acrimonious ally like the Samajwadi Party that come with their caste baggage and legal troubles.