BHOPAL: SP president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday evaded a direct reply when reporters asked him whether he would support Congress president Rahul Gandhi or BSP chief Mayawati as prime ministerial candidate.

“See the good fortune of UP. Anyone who becomes Prime Minister comes to UP,” he said, adding that the nation wants a new PM as people are angry with the present government.

On a two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh ahead of assembly polls in the state, Akhilesh said SP is “in dialogue with many parties” for an alliance.

Reacting to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s allegation that any party that forms a coalition with Congress faced destruction, Akhilesh said, “To run a coalition government and to keep an alliance together needs courage. That is why I appreciate Kumaraswamy. He has shown that courage.”

He said SP will contest the polls in MP “with or without a coalition understanding with Congress”.

