Akhilesh Yadav's Rath Yatra: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh, Shivpal Yadav send unity message

LUCKNOW: Ending days of suspense, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today flagged of his son, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's rath yatra with Shivpal Yadav in tow, seeking to project a united face after a bitter public power struggle that threatened to derail the party's Assembly poll campaign. Major highlights from Samajwadi Vikas Rath Yatra:

• The SP patriarch arrived at La Martinere grounds - the flag off venue - soon after Akhilesh reached there. Shivpal joined them moments later.

• With all eyes on who all turned up at the grand event, Mulayam took a seat on the stage and was flanked by Shivpal on one side and Akhilesh on the other to drive home a message that the party was united ahead of the UP Assembly elections.

• Akhilesh ko hum shubhkamna detey hain (I wish him well)," Shivpal said, adding the "vikas sey vijay ki aur yatra" will send a message of unity across the state and halt BJP in its tracks. Our target is to prevent BJP from coming to power in the state in the crucial 2017 elections," he said.

• Before embarking on the highly-publicised rath yatra to highlight the development works undertaken by him during the last over four years, the 43-year-old chief minister said, "I want to thank youths for this historic event...From this yatra, we appeal to people to vote in favour of our party."

• The presence of Mulayam, Shivpal and Akhilesh on one platform came days after bitter acrimony in the Yadav clan that saw no holds barred tit-for-tat sackings and expulsions of followers of warring camps.

• Flagging off the bright red Mercedes Benz 'rath', Mulayam spoke about difference of opinion over naming of the 'vikas sey vijay ki aur yatra'. "I had suggested Akhilesh to put 'vijay' first and 'vikas' after it. But he did not do that," he said.

• Incidently, the hi-tech customised rath of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav broke down after barely covering a kilometre, forcing him to switch to his official vehicle to continue his state-wide tour.

• After leaving the La-Martinere College grounds and hitting Lohia Path at a stone's throw distance from the venue, the blazing red 10-wheel Mercedes 'rath' developed some technical snag following which Akhilesh shifted to his official SUV.

• Shivpal said the "target" of the party was to form government again in 2017. "We want to ensure that BJP should not form government and SP gets absolute majority once again," he said.

• Ahead of the flag off event, Ramgopal Yadav's son and MP Akshay Yadav said, "People will vote for Akhilesh. We will contest in his name and win."