India, Oct. 7 -- The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday skipped the lunch hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for INDIA bloc allies, a day after SP lawmakers tried to form a separate group during the Opposition's march from Parliament to Akashvani Bhavan.

According to several lawmakers who attended the lunch at Sagar Ratna restaurant on Janpath, several leaders enquired about the SP's absence.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav had returned to Lucknow after he was released by the Delhi Police following his detention.

SP's Udaiveer Singh said that Akhilesh Yadav had come back on Tuesday night because he had commitments for the Rajya Sabha elections. "We are a regional party so we have to take car...