Swanky red bus for Akhilesh Yadav’s yatra

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will embark on his “Vikas se Vijay Tak Yatra” on a swanky red modified Mercedes bus on Thursday.

The bus that was unveiled before media persons on Tuesday, runs on 10 wheels and will be the chief minister home during the Yatra period.

The bus has a hydraulic lift that will allow the chief minister to rise and address the crowd during the Yatra with a public address system fitted into the bus that also has CCTV cameras, sofas, beds, TV sets, computers and a hotline that will keep the chief minister connected to his office when he is on the move.

The bus has a larger-than-life photograph of Akhilesh Yadav riding a bicycle, and also a photograph of party president Mulayam Singh Yadav on the rear side of the vehicle. There is no photograph or mention of his estranged uncle and state president Shivpal Yadav.

The chief minister will be starting his campaign alone on Thursday but will return to Lucknow to attend the silver jubilee programme of the Samajwadi Party. The details of his Yatra thereafter are yet to be finalised.

A party leader said that songs related to the campaign will play as the Yatra moves ahead and another van accompanying the chief minister will telecast short films on the achievement of his government.

Akhilesh Yadav is launching his election campaign in the midst of growing differences within the party.