Rae Bareli: It is now son Vs son in Rae Bareli. To counter the whirlwind campaign of Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi in support of his mother Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's MP son Akhilesh would launch a `Cycle Yatra'.

The Samajwadi Party on Thursday announced the Yatra, which Akhilesh would launch here on Saturday. `Cycle' is the SP's election symbol. Party candidate Rajkumar Chaudhury is pitted against Ms Gandhi in the May 8 Rae Bareli by-poll.

Akhilesh would hold 11 `nukkad' meetings on Saturday while riding a bicycle. He is expected to cover a distance of around 30 km during the day.

SP leaders said the `cycle yatra' was aimed at campaigning for Mr Chaudhury and countering Rahul's outbursts against the U.P. Government.

The Kannauj MP would begin the proposed Yatra from the Rae Bareli main township and cover 10 areas. He would conclude the `yatra' at Murai Ka Bagh area in the evening.

When Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav was in the Opposition, he had carried out a similar `yatra' through the U.P. capital to protest against the policies of the then chief minister and BSP president Mayawati.

During his `chaupal sabhas', Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi had been reiterating his charge that the contribution of Uttar Pradesh Government in the development of Rae Bareli was negligible.

Rahul had been claiming that despite the indifferent attitude of the State Government, the Congress had undertaken several developmental works with the help from the Centre.

He had on Tuesday kick-started campaign for his mother and AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

"The Gandhi family shares a bond with Rae Baerli. When my grandmother late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi represented this constituency, good development was witnessed here," he claimed.

He listed several schemes related to roads, drinking water and employment, which were ushered in following the victory of Ms Gandhi from the segment in 2004.

The Rae Bareli by-poll was necessitated following the resignation of the Congress president from the seat over the office of profit controversy. -- UNI

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