Scotching rumours of a possible pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the Assembly polls in Karnataka, Samajawadi Party's state unit president and former chief minister S Bangarappa on Thursday announced that his party will contest next month's polls on its own.
Bangarappa said the party would field candidates in over 100 assembly constituencies where it has a fair chance of winning.
Brushing aside the statement by senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna that talks with the SP were in progress for an electoral alliance, Bangarappa dubbed it as 'totally false'.
"We never knocked on the Congress' doors. It is the Congress which took the initiative and backed out. And the same goes for the JD-S," Bangarappa said.
Bangarappa said he had decided to contest in two separate constituencies, Shikaripura and Sagar in Shimoga district, which go to the polls on May 16 in the second phase.
"I have decided to contest from Shikaripura and Sagara to ensure I win at least from one constituency," he said.
He said national president of SP and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh would campaign along with other party leaders, including Jayaprada, Amar Singh and Jaya Bachchan. The party will also release its election manifesto in a day or two, he added.
PTI, UNI
