BSP considering joining the Centre

Bahujan Samaj Party is "seriously" considering joining the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, senior leaders of the party said in Jamshedpur on Monday.

"The UPA government had approached us several times in this regard but BSP, which is presently extending support from outside, had turned it down," party general secretary Ram Naresh Arya and national secretary Ram Raksha Pal told reporters in Jamshedpur.

The party high command was likely to take a decision in this connection soon, they said.

Bali Ram, national general secretary of BSP was also present at the press conference, in which the party announced the candidature of tribal leader Salkhan Murmu for the August 29 by-poll to Jamshedpur parliamentary seat.