The efforts to have a combined candidate of the United Progressive Alliance-Left-Bahujan Samaj Party for the Presidential poll gained momentum on Saturday with UP Chief Minister Mayawati holding talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the ticklish matter.

Mayawati's luncheon meeting with Dr Singh came close on the heels of the BSP national executive unanimously authorising her to take a decision in the matter at a time when the party holds the key in the selection of a successor to President A P J Abdul Kalam.

"My meeting with the prime minister will end the situation of confrontation between the Centre and the UP," Mayawati said appreciating Dr Singh's assurance of providing all help for the development of the state.

She said her government would adopt a "cooperative" approach with the Centre and would not allow politics to come in the way of the development of the state.

The luncheon meeting that was joined by Sonia Gandhi was indication enough that BSP was on board with the UPA-Left on the presidential election.

The BSP supremo, on her first visit to Delhi after assuming power for the fourth time, had a marathon discussion with Sonia Gandhi at her residence on Friday.

Mayawati has given enough hints that she had no intention to do business with opposition National Democratic Alliance in the matter and made it a point to emphasise that her party supported UPA at the Centre to keep 'communal forces' at bay.

After the meeting, Mayawati refused to say anything on the presidential issue saying she would be able to say something only after consultations with her party MPs and MLAs in the state.

She said whatever decision the party has to take, it would do so in a democratic way.