‘Rebel’ Akhilesh Yadav ready to break the shackles, likely to campaign alone

LUCKNOW: With the dates of nomination drawing closer, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is reportedly ready to go his own way even at the cost of being called a rebel.

Sources told TOI that the entire campaign plan of the Akhilesh camp is ready and it is now waiting for January 13 when the Election Commission takes a final call on which of the two warring sides gets the bicycle symbol.

“Cycle or motorcycle, whatever be the symbol, election campaign material is ready,” a close confidant of Akhilesh revealed to TOI. The CM himself is monitoring and finalising the campaigns for TV, newspapers and most importantly, social media, he said.


In case of a change in the symbol, minor modifications would be made in his rath, which has been halted by the family feud. “An alternate plan to tour all 403 constituencies is also in place just in case a prepoll alliance with Congress doesn’t materialise. Apart from EC’s decision, he is also waiting for one final word from his father. He is confident he (SP patriarch Mulayam Singh) would allow him a three-month period to run the party,” another associate said.

“Akhilesh always wanted to grow under the blessings of his father and return to power post 2017 polls, but at the same time he was determined to expose the coterie surrounding him (Mulayam). But Netaji did not want to leave that coterie which poisoned his mind against him, so there is no option left with Akhilesh , except to rebel and shed the entire past baggage of the party,” one of Akhilesh’s aides said. “He is being actively supported by his wife Dimple,” he added.

Sources said on the basis of ground reports and feedback collected by Harvard strategist Steve Jarding’s team, which has been hired by Akhilesh, the latter is confident that his development vision has worked well within the state. The CM feels that breaking away from his uncle Shivpal Yadav would pay off in the elections, his associate said.

“He is ready for the gamble to plunge into the elections as a rebel against corruption and criminalisation. He first wanted to bring about a change within the party. But if it is not possible then he would break the shackles,” Akhilesh’s associate added.