New Delhi: As moves for next Government formation gather momentum ahead of the Lok Sabha poll results tomorrow (May 13, 2004), Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today (May 12, 2004) declared that he was not in the race for Prime Minister but remained non-committal on the acceptability of Sonia Gandhi as the leader of a Congress-led coalition.

But he discounted the possibility of supporting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"I am not in the race for Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister and I have said this umpteen number of times," he said emerging from a meeting with CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet.

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Political Parties in India

Shortly after Mulayam and Surjeet were closeted for talks, Congress spokesman S Jaipal Reddy arrived at the CPI (M) leader's residence. He, however, claimed that he did not join Yadav and Surjeet. "It was a case of pure coincidence," Reddy said on his presence, describing his visit as "routine".

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said his party would decide on its role only after the election results were declared. "In politics, strength is everything. Decisions will be taken on the basis of respective strengths."

Parrying a query whether he would support a Sonia Gandhi-led Congress coalition, Yadav said, "Neither opposed to, nor supporting everything will be decided after the results."

"We will not take any stand till the results are out. We must first see whether it is a baby boy or girl (after the 'delivery' of election results)," he said, adding the leaders will meet again after the results were declared either tomorrow evening or the day after.

Asked whether the option of supporting NDA was open, the SP chief categorically said, "This amounts to abusing me. It is an abuse."

Side-stepping the issue of Gandhi's leadership in the wake of Congress statement that she would be its leader, Yadav refused comment saying, "It was an internal matter of Congress."

Observing that 'foreign origin' was not his campaign issue during elections, he said, "I campaigned only the issue of development. I never campaigned on who would or would not become the Prime Minister."

However, he asserted that his party would endeavor to unite all secular forces, including the smaller ones.

Asked if BSP was also one of the "smaller parties", he said, "BSP and BJP are the same. BJP has promised that it will not pursue the cases" against BSP chief Mayawati in return for her support to the NDA. But he ignored questions on seeking support of secular NDA constituents like TDP and JD (U).

Later, Reddy also said his party's "priority is to unseat NDA" and "Congress as the largest party will have a leading role to play in this process".

Parrying questions on the nature of a prospective non-NDA Government, he said, "Unless the results are known, all questions are hypothetical. But it is a historical necessity that all secular forces need to unite."

Expressing the hope that a non-NDA Government would be formed, Reddy said he was confident that all pre-poll allies of Congress like NCP and left parties would remain with it.