Congress, BSP Likely To Join Hands Ahead Of Haryana Polls; Mayawati, Hooda Hold Closed-Door Meet

The meeting that lasted for over half an hour saw the presence of newly-appointed state Congress President Kumari Selja, too.

Images: PTI

New Delhi: Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda and BSP Supremo Mayawati held a closed-door meeting in New Delhi on Sunday night ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in the state due in the month of October. The sudden meeting has given rise to speculations that the Congress and the BSP may stitch a pre-poll alliance to jointly contest the elections for the 90 Assembly seats in the BJP-ruled state. The meeting that lasted for over half an hour saw the presence of newly-appointed state Congress President Kumari Selja, too. The meeting was in the backdrop of  Mayawati withdrawing the pre-poll alliance last week with the Indian National Lok Dal's (INLD) breakaway faction Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), led by Dushyant Chautala, the grandson of O.P. Chautala. The JJP had offered 40 seats to the BSP, which it refused. Announcing the decision to end the alliance, Mayawati said the agreement reached with Chautala was "inappropriate" in terms of the proposed seat-sharing formula. While the main opposition - the INLD - has been reduced to a minority as most of its legislators and leaders have joined the BJP, infighting continues to dog the Congress, which ruled the state for two consecutive terms till 2014. Khattar, the first-time legislator, is the first BJP Chief Minister of the state and aims at improving the party's tally in this election in the Assembly from 48 legislators. (with inputs from agencies)