Akhilesh Yadav’s Mercedes Benz ‘Vikas Rath’ breaks down on Lohia Path

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s high-tech Mercedes Benz ‘Vikas Rath’ broke down hours after being flagged off by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday.

Interestingly, the ‘Vikas Rath’ broke down on Lohia Path, the Lucknow road named after Socialist icon Ram Manohar Lohia. Yadav’s Samajwadi Party swears by Lohia and claims to follow his ideals.

Frantic efforts to get the van rolling failed and added to the traffic jam in the city.

The young chief minister is scheduled to travel 100kms in Lucknow and neighbouring Unnao on the first day of his road show.

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Reports suggest a huge crowd turnout along Yadav’s route. At 2pm, the chief minister’s convoy had only managed to reach Shaheedpath in Lucknow’s outskirts. Officials say he is running at least four hours late of the planned schedule.

Earlier,the party’s top leadership put up a united show during the launch after weeks of a damaging family power tussle ahead of assembly elections next year. While Shivpal Yadav congratulated the CM and wished him all success for the yatra and the upcoming polls, Akhilesh dismissed any possibility of a split and said the SP was united to stop communal forces from coming to power in Uttar Pradesh.

But according to some reports, party workers clashed just before the start of the roadshow.

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