Riding a modified red Mercedes Benz bus and presenting a united front, with father Mulayam Singh and uncle Shivpal Yadav wishing him success, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav kicked off the Samajwadi Party’s campaign to retain power in the State where Assembly polls are slated early next year.
“We will reach every person across the State through this campaign and make them aware of the work done by us in the last four-and-a-half years. We have worked in infrastructure, in health and even brought people under the social security net. For the development to continue, people should vote us back to power,” Akhilesh Yadav said at a function attended by over 3 lakh people at la Martiniere College grounds in lucknow on Thursday.
Yadav said that the next poll will change the political scenario of the country in general and that of UP in particular. “I am going to the masses with my report card. I have worked for all sections of society. If cities have got Metro rail, villages got lohia Awas. Similarly, villages and cities were linked through a wide network of roads,” Yadav elaborated.
Akhilesh appealed to the youth to attend the SP’s silver jubilee function on November 5. “There is no ‘tera’ or ‘mera’ function. These are party functions. As you have come here in large numbers, you should also attend the November 5 function,” he suggested allaying fears that the youth will not attend the function where the silhouette of a grand alliance could be visible.
The campaign launch was picture perfect for the Samajwadi Party as the first family had been embroiled in an ugly family feud for the last one month. After Shivpal snatched a microphone from Akhilesh at a party meet and called ‘the CM a liar’ on October 24, there were doubts whether Mulayam and Shivpal would attend the launching of the Vikas Rath Yatra, even as late as Wednesday night.
However, the fear was scotched as Mulayam and State SP president Shivpal Singh Yadav graced the occasion. Mulayam flagged off the Yatra wishing good luck to Akhilesh but at the same time cautioned young workers not to get swayed.
“Ït is a big fight to bring the party back to power. Work hard to achieve your target. Here you are raising slogans but at the time of adversity, do not show your back,” he said.
Shivpal in his brief speech wished Akhilesh success for the Yatra, eliciting a huge applause from the youth. “Samajwadi Party has grown because of efforts of Mulayam Singh Yadav but we should not go astray. I suggest that the youths should stay within limits. ‘Josh ke sath hosh nahi khona chaiyahe,” he said indirectly hitting out at the youths raising slogans at the function.
Shivpal announced that the party would not allow the BJP to form the Government in UP at any cost. “SP will form the next Government,” Shivpal said.
This was the first occasion for Akhilesh Yadav to demonstrate his strength after several of his supporters were expelled from the party. A large number of supporters came down from Etawah and joined the show in lucknow. Originally scheduled to be flagged off from the State SP office on October 3, the Rath Yatra had to be postponed due to the feud within the SP’s first family that led to the dismissal of Shivpal from the Cabinet and expulsion of Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav from the party.