New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) Congress today gave a lukewarm response to Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's statement expressing readiness to support the party in Uttar Pradesh after polls if he sees the BJP coming to power. The question is "premature and unnecessary at this point of time", party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury told reporters in reply to a volley of questions on the issue at the AICC briefing here. Noting that the Congress' attitude on the issue was going to be "wait and watch", she said that "there has been no pre-poll pact between Congress and the Samajwadi Party. We have not arrived at post poll scenario as yet. We still have most phases of the polling left." "I have no authority to rule it in or rule it out", she said but insisted that party leaders including Sonia Gandhi have made the party's stand against any alliance clear. On whether Yadav's offer was a virtual admission that his party was not getting majority on its own, she said it seems so. The Congress' reaction came close on the heels of Yadav telling an election rally at Hamirpur "there is a wave in favour of SP, which is going to form the next government in the state...If I see BJP coming to power, our party can support Congress in the state to prevent communal forces". Congress is keeping its cards close to its chest on the issue of alliances in U P as it does not want to give an impression that it was a 'B team' of any other party. Asked by a reporter if the Congress would like to go with Mulayam or BSP chief Mayawati in the post-poll scenario, Chowdhury sarcastically replied, "When the time will come, the party will consult you."
