Ahead of UPA’s meeting this evening, talks between Congress and Samajwadi Party gained momentum over the possibility of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav’s support to the ruling dispensation candidate for the Presidential polls.

Sources in Samajwadi Party said that Mr Yadav, his cousin and Party General Secretary, Mr Ram Gopal Yadav, and another senior leader, Mr Naresh Aggarwal, have held at least five rounds of discussion with Congress leaders.

While Mr Yadav and TMC chief, Ms Mamata Banerjee, had floated the names of the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, former Speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, former President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, as their Presidential candidate, the SP chief last night had refused to declare Mr Kalam as his preferred candidate.

He is understood to have told Ms Banerjee that any final decision on a single name has to be endorsed by other SP leaders.

Meanwhile, Mr Aggarwal and Mr Ram Gopal Yadav met Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav this morning amid indications that the SP chief could leave for Agra today.

The UPA meeting today is expected to formally endorse the name of Mr Pranab Mukherjee as the alliance candidate.

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