Congress prefers sitting in opposition in UP: Digvijay Singh

In a bid to clear the air after Mulayam Singh Yadav's flip-flop over supporting Congress in post-poll Uttar Pradesh, Congress on Thursday said it would like to sit in the opposition rather than support anyone and people should not be confused over such statements.

"We would like to sit in the opposition but not support anyone," party general secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters.

Singh said that such statements should "not confuse the people and they should understand that it is one party which has formed the government three times with the support of different parties and the situation in the state became bad to worse.

"Congress which did not get a chance in the past 22 years should be given a chance... they should vote with full clarity".

In a U-turn, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had yesterday ruled out giving support to Congress in government formation in Uttar Pradesh, hours after he spoke about this possibility if there were signs of BJP coming to power.

Asserting that the high percentage of polling is indicative of anti-incumbency, Singh said it is against the BSP and as it cannot be for BJP and SP for different reasons adding that he believed it to be in favour of Congress and Rahul Gandhi.

He refused to comment on Yadav advising Rahul Gandhi who tore the list of election promises of different parties in an election meeting yesterday to learn courtesy.

To another question on BJP terming the incident as a gesture of frustration, he said "the reality would be known on March 6" (when results are declared).

To a question on Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma's statement in Farrukhabad on enhancing Muslim reservation, Singh said that it was not a violation of the model code of conduct.

"Mentioning what is in the election manifesto is not a violation of model code of conduct and I have also said the same in meetings," he said adding that in the case of Salman Khurshid the EC argument was that it was a promise which was made before the manifesto was released.

On noted Shia Muslim leader Kalbe Jawwad threatening to oppose Congress on Delhi Karbala issue and hold a road show in Lucknow, Singh said that Congress has agreed to the issues raised by him and it would be sorted out soon.

He requested Jawwad not to make an issue concerning Delhi an election issue in UP.

The Congress general secretary while welcoming the gaddi nashin of dargah Ajmer Sharif, Syed Gulam Kibriya Dastgir who came out in support of the Congress said that Sangh was involved in the blast in Ajmer.

To a question if Dastgir was an answer to SP's Iman Bukhari, he said that though the former is a symbol of communal harmony the latter was communal.