Patna, Jan. 25 (Agencies): The Janata Dal(United) has decided not to contest the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls so as to ”consolidate and strengthen secular forces” and ensure that ”communal forces” are defeated. Tyagi said the decision to pull out of the UP Assembly polls was taken at the party's core committee meeting here on Tuesday. ”We are disappointed, surprised and hurt that both SP and Congress failed to form a grand alliance on the lines of Bihar that proved to be a milestone in nation's politics. Bihar's grand alliance was formed by the efforts of both Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad who buried their differences for a bigger objective,” Tyagi said. ”We don't have much stake in UP, so we will pray from here (sitting in Patna) for them to win,” Singh said.

Source: The Telegraph January 25, 2017 13:52 UTC