Numbers speak for themselves in politics. Being considered as a non-entity in politics till yesterday, the YSR Congress party has now registered its importance at the national level by winning 15 out of 18 assembly seats in the by-elections.

Giving rise to speculations on its future relations with the new power centre in the State, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance on Monday formally started making efforts to woo the Kadapa MP and YSRCP president Jaganmohan Reddy.

UPA’s representative and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday met Jaganmohan Reddy in Chanchalguda Central Prison seeking his party’s support for the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee in the Presidential elections to be held in July.

‘I have requested him that his party should support the candidature of Mr Pranab Mukherjee and he should not align with the NDA as the NDA has a communal ideology,’ Asaduddin Owaisi told reporters after meeting Jagan for about 20 minutes in Chanchalguda prison.

‘He told me that he will definitely keep this in mind and he has to take a decision on this issue,’ he said.

However, Owaisi clarified that his meeting with Jagan should not be viewed differently. ‘I’ve come to meet my friend and colleague Jaganmohan Reddy, Earlier I could not meet him because of elections and the CBI had his custody. Now I met him and gave him the best wishes,’ he said.

Without using the specific words, the MIM president also clarified his party was not trying to support Jagan or want the fall of present government.