Akhilesh hints at alliance with Mayawati post a hung assembly

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday hinted at an alliance with BSP's Mayawati post a hung assembly prediction in UP by the various exit polls.

In interview to BBC Hindi radio Akhilesh said that if the SP-Congress combine falls short of a majority, they won't mind joining hands with the Mayawati's BSP in a bid to keep BJP out of UP. However, he was hopeful that SP and Congress will manage to rustle up the numbers to form the government in the UP.

It was billed as the big semifinal before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It was seen as a referendum on Narendra Modi government's demonetisation decision. Assembly elections in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur were held from February 4 to March 9.