No merger for QED, SP; may go for alliance: Afzal Ansari

Lucknow, Sep 4 (PTI) After failing to work out a merger,ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh and mafia donMukhtar Ansari’s Quami Ekta Dal (QED) could go in for analliance for next year’s Assembly election. "I had talks with SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and afterBakrid (on September 13), a decision on an alliance with theparty could be taken after discussions with the other partyleaders," QED national president Afzal Ansari told PTI. "Instead of a merger, we will go for an alliance," Afzal,who was admitted in AIIMS and discharged yesterday, said. "Mulayam had called me at the hospital," he added. There was an announcement of merger of the two parties onJune 21 at the SP headquarters in the presence of senior partyleader Shivpal Yadav. However, after three days, the SP parliamentary boardcalled it off with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and SP statepresident Akhilesh Yadav reportedly being against it. Recently, Mukhtar Ansari and his brother Sibghatullah,both MLAs, met Shivpal at the Assembly and there was onceagain a speculation regarding the alliance of the two parties. The QED is believed to have a vote-base in some seats ineastern Uttar Pradesh. Assembly election is slated to be held in the state earlynext year. PTI CORR ABN RC RTRC