MEERUT: Uttar Pradesh is all set for the battle of the four Ms –

, Mulayam, Mayawati and Mahagathbandhan (Grand

). Two days after Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh met Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav in Delhi, senior RLD leader Trilok Tyagi on Sunday admitted that the two leaders had met to have a “friendly discussion over the 2017 elections in the state”. He said leaders of “all parties, except Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)” had been “meeting regularly to informally discuss” the

.

Meanwhile, All India

Committee’s (AICC) western

in-charge Naseeb Singh told TOI on Sunday that the party “supports” the creation of a secular grand alliance in the state and called upon “secular parties” to form a united front. Another source in the Congress said they were “sure” that a grand alliance would be forged, but its success would hinge on whether the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) comes on board. The source said JD(U) and RLD were “ideal candidates” for a secular alliance with Congress. An alliance with the SP, the source said, would only end up hurting the Congress.

“There is still time before the 2017 polls. As of now, no formal rounds of discussions are taking place. It is very common for leaders of different parties to meet in Delhi and have friendly discussions on politics. Many are simply personal meetings. Last month, Chaudhary Sahab (Ajit Singh) met Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar at a book launch in Delhi. Leaders of non-BJP and non-SP parties have been meeting for a while now but the discussions are only informal in nature,” said Tyagi, RLD’s national general secretary.

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Naseeb Singh said, “After the immense success of secular parties in Bihar, we welcome the possibility of a grand alliance in UP. Party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had recently issued a statement saying it was important for secular parties to come together and thwart the BJP’s communal designs. They (BJP) have been using the state, particularly western UP, as a communal laboratory. Even the SP seems to have forgotten that it used to be a secular party. They thought they can gain from incidents such as the Muzaffarnagar riots. However, we cannot let them divide the state like this.”

A source in the Congress said, “A grand alliance in UP is inevitable. The members of the alliance should be secular, like-minded parties. By that yardstick, the JD(U) and RLD will be ideal for us. However, the success of the alliance may also depend on whether SP or BSP will join us. The SP’s secular credentials have come into question after the Muzaffarnagar riots. Moreover, as the anti-incumbency factor weighs against SP, an alliance with it may hurt the Congress. SP is a sinking ship. That is why Mayawati’s endorsement could boost our chances.”