Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav may share stage

LUCKNOW: Just months before the battle for 2014 vote begins, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav are likely to share the stage on Monday during the foundation-laying ceremony of UP’s first mega food park project. While Rahul will set off the project, Akhilesh has also been invited by the ministry of food processing industries , the organizers of the function.

Rahul and Akhilesh were engaged in a high-decibel poll battle last year as they spearheaded the campaign of their respective parties— Congress and SP — and the two are likely to get into the same mode in a few months in the run-up to the LS polls. Although Akhilesh has still not officially given his consent, but there is a high possibility that he would attend the event, given his proclaimed thrust on the food-processing sector. From the development point of view, the project in Jagdishpur is critical both to Rahul’s parliamentary constituency Amethi and for the rest of UP where the food processing industry remains a non-starter.