SP family unites for poll battle, Mulayam flags off CM's Vikas Rath Yatra

While uncertainty was looming large on the attendance of party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and his brother and state president Shivpal Singh Yadav initially, but at the last moment, except for sacked party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, almost everyone of the family attended the event.

Mulayam flagged off the Vikas Rath yatra from the La Martiniere grounds, led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, amid slogans raising by over several thousand youths, supporting the young Chief Minister. Akhilesh, on the first day of his yatra, which was delayed for one month, would go up to Unnao, around 50 kilometers, to launch the party's election campaign for the early next year's crucial Assembly elections.

Both Mulayam and Shivpal extended their best wishes to Akhilesh on the success of this rath yatra, besides calling on the youths who came for this function, to attend the party's silver jubilee foundation day here on November 5. Though who's-who of SP attended this function, which was situated in front of the CM residence, but UP Minority Welfare Minister Mohammad Azam Khan was conspicuous by his absence. Sacked SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav also did not attend the function, besides the expelled leaders and Team Akhilesh members.

SP MP from Kannuaj and wife of the CM, Dimple Yadav joined her husband in the yatra. UP Minister Rajendra Choudhury was also in the rath. Mulayam in his brief speech, expressed concern about the situation on the international border but on the other hand, told the youth about the dedication of socialist leaders for the society. He also appreciated Shivpal for his work to strengthen the party and called upon the youth to put their efforts in bringing the party to power in the state again. 

“Raising slogans would not give us any strength, but working for the people will certainly give us an edge against other parties in these elections,'' he stated. The Chief Minister in his speech admitted that the party was shaken for some moment due to some conspiracy leading to delay in the  yatra for exactly one month. ''But now, we have to work for bringing the SP government once again.''

"This election will change the political scenario of the country and UP will repeat the feat witnessed in 2012," he said, adding that people have now started questioning the governance of the Central government over the situation at the international border and over yesterday's suicide by an ex-serviceman. Akhilesh, who refused to take the name of his uncle Shivpal during his speech, thanked his father Mulayam for attending the function, appealed to the youths to attend the November 5 programme of the party, besides claiming that the party had fulfilled all the promises made during 2012 elections and had gone for a balanced development to target all the communities and sections of the society.

"This is my third opportunity to go for a rath yatra and though the time is very less, but will still try to reach every pocket of the state," he announced. Shivpal, in his small speech, congratulated Akhilesh for the success of the yatra. He said SP has become strong due to the efforts of Mr Mulayam, but also warned the youth that they should not lose their minds." Josh ke sath Hosh nahi khona chaiyahe," he said, while indirectly hitting out at the youth raising slogans at the function.

Shivpal announced that the party would not allow BJP to form the government in UP at any cost. UP Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey and State Education Minister Ahmed Hasan also addressed the gathering. The Ministers sacked by Akhilesh too, were present in the function and they came along with Shivpal. However, the Vikas Rath witnessed a minor technical fault on the Lohia path and engineers were working to rectify it.