Akhilesh, Azad say Sp-cong alliance on, seats being finalised

GRAND ALLIANCE SHAPING UP

PUTTING AN end to days of speculation, amid a power tussle within the SP, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress confirmed that they would forge a pre-poll alliance for the assembly elections next month.

A day after the Chief Minister’s faction won the battle for the SP’S top post and the cycle symbol, Akhilesh and Ghulam Nabi Azad, the AICC general secretary in charge of UP, said in separate announcements Tuesday that the alliance would be announced in the next 24-48 hours.