Akhilesh, Mayawati, Ajit Singh to hold 11 joint rallies

Lucknow, March 15 (IANS) In bid to give a tough challenge to the BJP, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and RLD leader Ajit Singh will hold 11 rallies jointly in Uttar Pradesh including in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi.

Sharing their plans, SP Secretary Rajendra Chaudhary said: "The leaders will address a total of 11 rallies in the state beginning on April 7, the first day of Navratra. The last will take place on May 16 in Varanasi."

He said the first rally would be organised at Deoband on April 7.

The three leaders will also hold rallies for the candidates of the alliance in Badaun on April 13 and Agra on April 16. Dharmendra Yadav, a cousin of SP chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, is contesting from Budaun.

Chaudhary said the joint rally of three leaders had been planned in Mulayam Singh Yadav's constituency Mainpuri on April 19.

It will be for the first time after the 1995 guest house episode that Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav will share the stage together.

The SP leader also said that the alliance will also organise rallies in Rampur and Firozabad on April 20.

The three leaders will also hold joint rallies in Kannauj, currently represented by Dimple Yadav on April 25. A similar rally will follow in Faizabad on May 1, in Azamgarh on May 8 and in Gorakhpur on May 13.

Chaudhary said the last joint rally is set for May 16 in Varanasi.

The Samajwadi Party is contesting on 37 seats in Uttar Pradesh, RLD on three and the BSP on 38 seats. Amethi and Rae Bareli have been left for the Congress.