The Congress has been left out of alliance between Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati (File)New Delhi: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today underscored his respect for Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav - two top opposition leaders in Uttar Pradesh - who are likely to see its move to place Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at driver's seat in eastern Uttar Pradesh as a mark of belligerence.While BJP has sent its good wishes to Priyanka Gandhi, both opposition leaders have maintained silence."We have no enmity against Akhilesh and Mayawati.

I respect Mayawati and Akhilesh and we are willing to cooperate.

Our aim is to defeat BJP.

No problem if they want to talk with us," Mr Gandhi said today, after announcing Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's entry to active politics from party bastion Amethi.Reiterating that Congress won't "play on backfoot anywhere", he said, "We didn't do it in Gujarat or anywhere else and we won't do it here in UP".The Congress move comes days after UP leaders announced an alliance for state that left out Congress.

The two leaders pointed out that their decision was made in view of ground situation, which indicated that Congress could not bring much to table."There is not much benefit to us from allying with Congress.

We have decided that we will not tie up with a party like Congress across country where they can't transfer votes to us," said Mayawati, who is known to have been upset with Congress over when talks for seat sharing fell through in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh ahead of recent assembly elections.At time, Mr Gandhi, who was in Dubai, had made it clear that Congress will make its way, that it has "lots to offer to people of Uttar Pradesh"."I have tremendous respect for leaders of BSP and Samajwadi Party, and recognise that they have right to do what they want.

It's on us to strengthen Congress party in Uttar Pradesh, and we will fight to our full capacity," he said.Within days, party made an aggressive announcement - that it would contest all 80 seats in state.

Indicating that they are taking UP run seriously, party today changed its top order in state.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was given charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, where lies Varanasi, constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's Gorakhpur.Western Uttar Pradesh has put under Jyotiraditya Scindia, close aide of Rahul Gandhi, who had a big role to play in recently concluded elections in Madhya Pradesh.The party said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's entrance to active politics from Uttar Pradesh will revitalize workers, who have rooting for her for long.  Senior party leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "For fifteen twenty years people have been asking her to join politics This is a huge boost for Congress party".