‘Let them conspire, let us work’: Akhilesh tells supporters ahead of Rath Yatra

Amid the raging feud in the Samajwadi Party (SP)’s first family, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav called on his supporters to be cautious as they continue working towards the upcoming assembly elections.

Akhilesh, who begins his ‘rath yatra’ campaign on November 3, told organisers and party workers, “Let them conspire, let us work. It is because of our work that we have been able to build an image amongst people.”

The chief minister is finalising plans and arrangements for the first leg of the yatra, and appointed several of his cadre as in-charges of different segments of the campaign. All the appointments are people who were expelled by Akhilesh’s uncle and party state chief, Shivpal Yadav.

Warning them to be weary of those who would pit them against each other, Akhilesh told his supporters to avoid carrying out any demonstrations.

He further took exception to some youth leaders putting up a poster which depicted Amar Singh, a close confidant of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, in a derogatory manner.

“We should not engage in such acts. Focus on goodness, and focus on winning goodwill,” he said.

The two-day yatra begins at 9am from La Martinere ground and will move to Unnao, Kanpur and Bilhaur before returning to Lucknow.

The Yadav family has been caught in an ugly feud for over a month with Akhilesh and Shivpal at loggerheads.