'Everyone Is Free To Campaign Anywhere': Ajay Rai On SP Launching 'PDA Rath Yatra' From Raebareli

(MENAFN- IANS) Lucknow, Sep 25 (IANS) A day after Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav launched the 'PDA Rath Yatra' for next year's Uttar Pradesh polls from the Congress bastion of Raebareli, Congress state chief Ajay Rai remarked that everyone is free to campaign anywhere while maintaining that his party is doing its own work for the elections.

"Anyone can go anywhere for election campaigning. We are certainly doing our work. We stand firmly with the people in their joys and sorrows," the UP Congress chief remarked.

Referring to the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Rai asserted that the entire nation is looking towards him today. "He is raising national issues and strongly presenting questions that concern the public," he added.

SP MP Rajeev Rai backed the UP Congress chief's remark, saying: "Whatever he said is absolutely right...we will keep working hard to ensure that the INDIA bloc wins the maximum seats (in the Assembly polls).

Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday launched the party's 'PDA Yatra' from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh as part of its campaign and preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections in the state.

During the event, he targeted the BJP, stating that when the time comes to vote, no matter how much effort the BJP exerts, "the people of the 'PDA' (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak-Backward, Dalit, Minority) will unite to defeat them."

Ahead of the 'yatra' on Thursday, SP leaders and workers had put up posters and hoardings at several places in Raebareli. The posters depicted Akhilesh Yadav in the avatars of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, drawing criticism from the NDA.

Minister O.P. Rajbhar criticised Yadav's decision to begin the yatra from Raebareli and linked it to a recent controversy involving an SP district president and a police officer.

Speaking to reporters, Rajbhar said: "Akhilesh Yadav is going to Raebareli because it is not only a Congress stronghold. In Raebareli, the SP district president told the CO there to wear bangles. He became ready to assault the CO, so Akhilesh is going to Raebareli to encourage his people and boost the morale of his unruly people, and this is what will prove fatal for him."

Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Kishan, on Friday, told IANS that Rahul Gandhi has also become "uneasy" because Akhilesh Yadav is "making inroads into whatever little Congress vote bank remains".

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