Cong waits for SP, BSP opens arms

However, Mayawati kept everyone on tenterhooks by saying she was ready to accept any political outfit as a future ally, including even the SP. ‘‘I can consider forgiving Mulayam Singh Yadav if he tenders an apology to the nation for the Guest House incident of June 3, 1995. The BSP can also come closer to the Congress provided it shuns its Manuwadi garb. Even the BJP can be adjusted again if the party expels leaders like Rajnath Singh, who always spoke against the BSP,’’ said Mayawati while speaking at the Ambedkar Maidan.

For the Congress, its plan of a coalition at the Centre for the next general election is incomplete without the support of the SP. That has been the main reason why the party, which has only 16 MLAs in the UP Assembly, is pushing the case of the coalition. The ‘‘secular coalition’’ has been able to muster up only 180 MLAs till date in a House of 402.

The SP, however, was ecstatic and claimed that hurdles to an alternative government were disappearing. ‘‘We are waiting for the CM to be dismissed first,’’ said the state SP chief.