Ghulam Hassan Khan, independent Member of Parliament from Ladakh, on Tuesday extended unconditional support to the UPA.
He also clarified that he had not re-joined the ruling National Conference. The U-turn came a day after Khan addressed a press conference with National Conference chief Dr Farooq Abdullah and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during which he had announced his decision to re-join the party.
In a statement, Khan said: 'I want to clarify that I have not joined any political party and continue to maintain my independent status. However, I extend my unconditional support to the UPA coalition."
Khan's support to UPA has taken its total tally to 263 in the newly-elected Lok Sabha.
'On the persuasion of Dr Farooq Abdullah, I agreed to support the NC and the UPA for the welfare and uplift of the backward districts of Leh and Kargil,' he said.
Media reports attribute Khan's denial as a result of the Congress high command's reservations on NC welcoming a rebel, who had fought and won the seat against a Congress candidate, back to its fold.
Khan had defeated the Buddhist ruling Congress NC combine candidate, P.Namgyal by nearly four thousand votes.