By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Eyes of Leader of Opposition in state Assembly, Shivpal Yadav moistened when he handed over Rs five lakhs to his nephew and state chief of Samajwadi Party (SP) Akhilesh Yadav while the latter embarked on a journey with Kranti Rath.
Uttar Pradesh’s politics is not new to Rath Yatras. The much hyped BJP leader LK Advani’s rath yatra in 1990s communally polarised the voters in the Hindi heartland. Before that yadav satrap Mulayam Singh Yadav took out his yatra on Kranti Rath on 14 September 1987. The result the yadav chieftain became chief minister in 1989 heading Janata Dal government ending the rule of Congress in the state. The same Kranti Rath has once again rolled but this time it is Akhilesh Yadav, the son of Mulayam touring the state.
Akhilesh Kranti Rath in Unnao on Wednesday
Launched on 12 September, the first phase ended covering Lucknow, Unnao, Kanpur on Wednesday (14 Sep). The response was good by any standard. Akhilesh was swarmed with a sea of crowds. State spokesperson of the party, Rajendra Choudhary who was also part of 1987 Kranti Rath by Mulayam states that history will repeat itself and Akhilesh will end the rule of BSP. The yatra is also seen as an attempt to project Akhilesh to formally step in Mulayam’s shoes.
Besides the Samajwadi Party, other political groups are also relying on yatras in the state to get a pulse of people. Congress yuvraj Rahul Gandhi has undertaken ‘Congress Sandesh Yatra’ in the state and touched remote corners of the state. He also has surprised the people by his padyatras in Bhatta Parsaul where farmers were killed while protesting against land acquisition. Similarly, BJP too has announced its yatras which will this time begin from Mathura led by Rajnath Singh. Rashtriya Lok Dal is already taking out its Suraj Yatra. The result of these yatras will be available only after the elections due early next year but the leaders are not leaving any stone unturned to get attention.