Samajwadi Party today ruled out fielding a joint candidate with Mukthar Ansari-led Quami Ekta Dal against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Varanasi.
"We will not take support from any 'goonda, badmaash' (hooligan)...," SP spokesperson Shivpal Yadav said when asked about Ansari's proposal for a joint candidate from Varanasi, adding that he has not received any request in this regard.
"We have already fielded Kailash Chaurasia from there... Everyone knows that we are secular... Those who wish to strengthen secular force can support us," Yadav said.
Quami Ekta Dal chief Ansari, who is lodged in jail in the BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai murder case, had earlier proposed to field a joint candidate in Varanasi.
Stating that the SP candidate will certainly win from Varanasi, Yadav claimed that Modi was not getting local support there.
Yadav said his party would won over 60 seats (out of 80) in the state, that there would be a Third Front government at the Centre with SP supremo leading it.
