In Pics: Akhilesh Yadav launches first phase of ‘Vikas Rath Yatra’

The flagging off event saw, for the first time, nearly all of the Yadav Parivar together on stage before the bright red Mercedes Benz ‘rath’ was flagged off.

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav flagged off UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s‘Vikas Rath Yatra’ in the presence of state party chief Shivpal Yadav in Lucknow, seeking to project a united face after a bitter public power struggle that threatened to derail the party’s Assembly poll campaign.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav waving to supporters during his Rath Yatra in Lucknow on Thursday. (PTI)

“Akhilesh ko hum shubhkamna detey hain (I wish him well),” Shivpal said, speaking at the La Martinere grounds, the flag off venue. “Vikas sey vijay ki aur yatra” will send a message of unity across the state and halt BJP in its tracks, the SP patriarch said, adding that the party will win by a huge margin in the upcoming polls.

The flagging off event saw, for the first time, almost all of the Yadav Parivar together on stage before the bright red Mercedes Benz ‘rath’ was flagged off. Barely a kilometre into the journey, however, the vehicle developed a technical snag and Akhilesh had to resume the yatra in an SUV car.

Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav waving to supporters during the Vikas se Vijay ki aur Rath Yatra at La Martiniere ground in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/ Hindustan Times)

Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav has a word with his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav while Shivpal Yadav and others look on during the Vikas se Vijay ki aur Rath Yatra at La Martiniere ground in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/ Hindustan Times)

Uttar Pradesh CM Ahilesh Yadav emerges from the top of the ultra-modern Mercedes Benz vehicle he began the ‘yatra’ in until a snag forced him to settle for a bulletproof SUV instead. (HT Photo)

Akhilesh Yadav greets supporters from inside the Mercedes Benz ‘rath’ he began the yatra in.

View from inside the bus Akhilesh Yadav was travelling in as supporters gather outside the vehicle after it was flagged off. (HT Photo)

Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav boarded an SUV after his ‘rath’ developed a snag during the Vikas se Vijay ki aur Rath Yatra in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/ Hindustan Times)

The modified bus Akhilesh Yadav was meant to be travelling in being repaired after a technical snag during the yatra in Lucknow on Thursday (PTI)

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