New Delhi: Two days after it hinted at withdrawal of support to Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh, Congress today (March 27, 2004) made a fresh bid to seek an alliance with Samajwadi Party and Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal to avert a split of secular forces but the response from the two parties was negative.

"We are inviting Samajwadi Party to explore the possibility of seat adjustment among Congress, Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal," senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee told reporters.

"Congress is trying sincerely to forge alliances with various secular parties in different States to ensure that secular forces are not split," he said.

Reacting to the Congress' appeal, RLD leader Ajit Singh said it had come "late in the day" when there was hardly any scope left.

If the Congress was "serious" about its move, it should have contacted the parties "appealing through the press", Singh remarked.

Ruling out any threat to his Government in the event of Congress withdrawing its support, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav told election rallies in UP that his party had made every possible attempt for a poll pact with Congress but it was trying to strike a deal with BSP.