Lucknow: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was taken into custody on Thursday while he was on his way to Auraiyya district where SP workers had been arrested on Wednesday after clashes with the police. He was released after a few hours.

Talking to reporters, he alleged that the state government planned to grab the zila panchayat chief’s post without a contest but his party had smelt the conspiracy. He claimed that several of his party leaders had been implicated in false criminal cases and his party would continue its battle against fascist forces. 

Earlier in the day, he was stopped near Unnao on the Lucknow Agra expressway and taken to Dhaura Agricultural Research Centre.