Follow seat-sharing model Akhilesh has presented to counter BJP: SP to INDIA

Lucknow, Jan 28 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has presented an alliance model to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and others should follow, a spokesperson of his party said on Sunday after JD(U) president Nitish Kumar resigned as the chief minister of Bihar.

Kumar, who is likely to form a new government in Bihar with the BJP's support, told reporters in Patna that "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA.

Reacting to the development, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ameeq Jamei said, "The elections that are going to be held are for saving our secular democracy. Our party leader Akhilesh Yadav has presented a model by announcing seat-sharing with the Congress and RLD." "A second round of talks with the Congress is on. Everyone should follow this to remove the BJP (from power)," he said.

Yadav on Saturday announced that his party's alliance with the Congress was "off to a good start" with 11 "strong" Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Soon after, the Congress said constructive seat-sharing talks were on between senior party leader Ashok Gehlot and SP chief Yadav, but it added that a formula was yet to be finalised.

On Nitish Kumar's resignation, Jamei said, "This should not have happened. Our leader Akhileshji has followed the path shown by Mulayam Singh Yadav, who did everything to prevent the BJP from grabbing power." Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said the BJP and a big section of the media were trying to show that the INDIA grouping was broken and weak.

"In the coming days, you will see the INDIA bloc getting stronger irrespective of what is happening in Bihar," he added. PTI