The UP Congress Committee (UPCC) president, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, said the party was confident of amicably striking an alliance with the SP.

“We have already communicated our views to the party high command and the SP has also been apprised of our stand,” said Joshi.

The next meeting of the SP-Congress leaders for further talks on the arrangement is likely to be held in New Delhi on January 10.

Joshi said the alliance was necessary for both parties to prevent division of the secular votes to fight communal forces and the “corrupt” BSP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Regarding the murder of PWD executive engineer

M K Gupta, Joshi said the party was in search of an NGO which could file a PIL in the High Court for demanding a CBI probe into the case. The engineer was allegedly lynched by BSP legislator Shekhar Tiwari in Aurraiya on December 24.

“I will also discuss the issue with our legal cell officials to find out how we could push in for a CBI probe,” she said. According to Joshi, the law and order situation in the state was miserable as state-sponsored criminals were ruling the roost and innocent people were suffering.

“The incidents at Aurraiya and now the arrest of Ram Mohan Garg of Aligarh have shown the real face of the BSP,” she said.

“Not expelling legislator Shekhar Tewari from the party despite his heinous act proves that the government is defending such people who are extorting money in the name of Mayawati’s birthday,” said Joshi.

The party also raised questions on why the BSP had to remove Ram Mohan Garg, former chairman of the State Fisheries Development Corporation.