Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav exit rally in Prayagraj amidst chaos incited by party workers

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, May 19

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav hastily departed from a public meeting in Prayagraj on Sunday, as chaos erupted in the crowd, resulting in a stampede-like situation and posing security risks. The two senior political figures opted to exit the public rally without addressing the assembled crowd.

The incident unfolded during a public meeting held at Padila in the Phulpur Parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh organised by the India Alliance.

According to reports, workers from both the Congress and Samajwadi Party lost control and attempted to breach the security measures to reach the stage. The sight of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav attracted a large crowd, prompting the workers to break through the barricades and surge onto the stage.

Despite repeated requests from the leaders, urging party workers to remain calm and settle, their appeals were disregarded. Police and security personnel faced challenges in managing the agitated crowd.

Following numerous attempts to pacify the situation, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav engaged in a brief discussion amongst themselves. Subsequently, they decided to depart from the venue to prevent any compromise in security. Visuals from the event depicted broken barricades and a growing crowd, underscoring the intensity of the situation.

Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav have jointly addressed several poll rallies in Uttar Pradesh, including Amethi and Rae Bareli.

The fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election is scheduled on Monday, marking a crucial moment where the fate of several key candidates, including Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, will be determined. The constituencies in Uttar Pradesh slated for voting in the fifth phase include Mohanlalganj (SC), Rae Bareli, Amethi, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi, Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambi (SC), Barabanki (SC), Faizabad, Kaisarganj, and Gonda.