LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is all set to start off his rath yatra on November 3, two days before the date chosen by his uncle and rival Shivpal Yadav to celebrate the Samajwadi Party’s silver jubilee celebrations.
Preparations are underway for the two much anticipated events, touted as a show of strength by factions led by Akhilesh and Shivpal ahead of the crucial UP Assembly polls early next year.
Akhilesh’s Vikas Sey Vijay Tak yatra with a procession over 5,000 SUVs and trucks will begin from Lucknow on Thursday and pass through Unnao en route to Kanpur.
"It will be a show of strength. We want to show Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) that Akhilesh Bhaiya is the most popular leader in the party," said a loyalist.
Shivpal’s function to mark SP's silver jubilee will be held on November 5.
Arrangements are being made to ensure that Akhilesh’s yatra is a success to establish Akhilesh as the undisputed political heir of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Akhilesh, who ruled out parting ways with the party, has said he will participate in the silver jubilee event. However, a large number of his loyalists are likely to boycott the show in view of the strife in the party.