SP doesn't carry out threat to withdraw support

Senior leaders of the Samajwadi Party, which had on January 8 given a five-day ultimatum to the United Progressive Alliance government to act against Pakistan, on Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

'UPA has 5 days to act against Pakistan or...'

Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and general secretary Amar Singh said they discussed ways to work together and keep the communal Bharatiya Janata Party from coming to power after the coming general election.

The leaders said the party will organise a protest against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for allegedly collecting money for her birthday, which falls on January 16.

They also claimed to have arrived at a seat-sharing agreement with the Congress.

"There is no need to get panicky about the distribution of seats. We have decided the number of seats the two parties will contest," Amar Singh said.

He also said that party leader Jaya Pradha, who holds the traditional Congress stronghold of Rampur, has expressed her willingness to shift to another seat, possibly Muradabad.