Akhilesh-Rahul bonhomie at Lucknow road show

It was flowers, rose petals and garlands all the way for Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav who on Sunday held a 12 km-long road show in Lucknow that reflected the new found bonhomie between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.

Boosting the morale of their supporters and signalling unity, the two leaders atop the 'UP Vijay Rath' started the road show from the GPO park in Hazratganj after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

The specially designed Rath had pictures of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, and the alliance's catch line 'UP ko yeh saath pasand hai'.

The leaders who were surrounded by security personnel on the platform on the vehicle's roof from where they greeted people on streets and atop buildings.

The Rath moved along with hordes of Congress and SP workers who raised slogans and showered flower petals on the leaders amid the beating of drums and songs eulogising the two parties.

The road show covered some densely populated areas of the state capital spanning the old Lucknow localities, which have a sizable Muslim population.

The meandering route was planned in such way that the message of the alliance reached a cross-section of people and large section of population.

The two leaders earlier addressed a joint press conference and ended the road show with a public meeting at the historic 'Ghanta Ghar' in the Chowk area of Lucknow.

In the meeting at Ghanta Ghar, Rahul alleged that the BJP believes in 'badla' (vengeance) unlike the Congress and Samajwadi Party that talks of 'badlav' (change).

"This alliance is of youths. We will change the state together and there would be a storm of development. BJP believes in 'badla' (vengeance), but we talk of 'badlav' (change)," he said.

Exuding confidence that Akhilesh will form the next government, Rahul said, "We will form the government and a youth will become Chief Minister again."

"Modi runs his government alone. He does not hear anybody but speaks his 'mann ki baat'. His demonetisation move forced poor people to stand in queues outside banks. Holders of black money, which is with 50 families only, were not seen in any queue," he said.