Despite ongoing infight within the Yadav clan in the last few weeks, the 'Vikas Rath Yathra' was flagged off on Thursday by the Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
However, a few hundred metres post flag off, the Merecedes "chariot" led by a a cavalcade of over thousands SUVs and trucks in which the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was travelling, experienced technical issues and broke down. While the bus was taken for repair works, Akhilesh
was seen getting into an SUV. He had, however, scheduled to travel over 100 km in Lucknow and neighboring Unnao on the first day of his state-wide tour.
Thousands had gathered on the grounds of the school to view the the yatra aimed at taking home the message of unity within Samajwadi Party. Over 6,000 cops have been posted along the tour route. Schools all along the vicinity of the yatra have been asked to shut down. Mulayam Singh's younger brother and the party's state chief Shivpal Yadav, was also present at the occasion.