Akhilesh sounds poll bugle, launches 'Rathyatra'

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday virtually sounded the poll bugle by launching a 'Lok Jagaran Yatra' which would be traversing through almost every Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Atop a specially designed 'Rath' (chariot), Akhilesh addressed a meeting of his party workers and leaders as he launched the 'Yatra' from Lakhimpur Kheri district in the state, about 150 kilometres from here.

Akhilesh indicated that his party would make caste-based census an important agenda in the state in the next LS polls due in 2024.

Read | BJP a bunch of cowards: Akhilesh Yadav

The SP president launched a scathing attack on the BJP government in the state saying that the development of the state had come to a standstill during the saffron party regime and that no section of the population was happy with the current dispensation.

Referring to a recent incident in which a BJP MP had allegedly assaulted the cops, Akhilesh said that the police personnel were being assaulted by the saffron party leaders everywhere in the state. He also said that the maximum number of custodial deaths had taken place since the BJP came to power in the state in 2017.

The SP president said that the dalits and other backward castes were at the receiving end in the BJP regime.

SP leaders said that the 'Lok Jagaran Yatra' would traverse through almost every LS constituency and that the party president would be addressing rallies and meetings during the 'yatra'.

A specially designed 'Rath' had been prepared for this purpose in which senior SP leaders would be travelling. ''The focus of the yatra will be non-yadav OBC voters and dalits,'' said a senior SP leader here on Tuesday while speaking to DH.