Lucknow:
Fickle ally Samajwadi Party has put the Manmohan Singh government out of its misery for now, saying today that it is not withdrawing the external support it provides.
"The Samajwadi Party is supporting the UPA to keep communal forces at bay... We are ready for elections. We have achievements with which we can go to people," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said.
Earlier today, Finance Minister P Chidambaram had patted the Chief Minister on the back, praised his skills in governance, and, noting that UP had large financial needs, promised to consider more Central funds for the state.
He said he had discussed several proposals with the 39-year-old CM, who he invited to Delhi. "I assure the Chief Minister, his team and Netaji that the government of India will stand by the Uttar Pradesh government," Mr Chidambaram said.
Clearly the government had heard Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh complain this week, "Bihar has been given a package. What about Uttar Pradesh?" Mr Chidambaram's use of the name "Netaji" - partymen and others close to Mulayam Singh call him that - was also telling.
Mr Yadav senior has kept the UPA on tenterhooks ever since its ally the DMK walked out last week, making it depend even more heavily on the SP. He accused the Congress of being "too clever and cheating the people" with an eye on elections, miffed with reports that the Centre is considering granting special status and a financial package to Bihar, widely seen as an attempt by the Congress to woo BJP ally, the Janata Dal-United, which rules the state.
(Read)So virulent was Mr Yadav's attack that on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admitted there seemed the possibility that he would withdraw support, but said he was confident that his government would complete its full term.
(Read)Mr Yadav has told his partymen to start prepping for early general elections. Elections are due only in mid-2014, but Mr Yadav said he expects polls by November this year and also that a non-BJP, non-Congress Third Front coalition will form the next government.
The BJP today dismissed a Third Front as irrelevant and asked Mulayam Singh Yadav, "If the Congress government bothers you so much, why don't you do something about it?" The party's Ravi Shankar Prasad said Mr Chidambaram's promise to UP today was a "lollipop", a bid to "bribe the Samajwadi Party."
(Watch: 'Reluctant PM showing his true colours, say BJP)