In rare-sight, Mayawati seeks votes for Mulayam, he thanks her

The campaign trail of the unlikely alliance in UP started from Deoband, where Akhilesh, Mayawati and RLD Chief Ajit Singh sought votes.

In the rally, Mayawati stoked a controversy when she asked Muslim voters to vote only for her alliance as choosing Congress would divide anti-BJP votes.

She ruffled Election Commission's feathers with her rant and was banned from campaigning for 48 hours.

While Deoband rally was more about show of strength, Mainpuri was about unlikely bonds and equations.

In his address to the crowd at Christian field, Mulayam said he wouldn't give a long speech.

"(I am) happy to share the stage with Mayawatiji. I am thankful to Mayawati and would remain obliged to her for coming here to seek vote for me," he said.

On her part, Mayawati mentioned the infamous guest house incident of 1995 which laid the foundation for decades of animosity.

She said, "I want to clarify why I came here despite the guest house case. In the interest of movement, we have to take a tough decision."

Heaping praises on Mulayam, Mayawati said he united many in his party and he is a true leader.

Taking the mic, Akhilesh said Mayawati seeking votes for Mulayam was historic. "We should always respect Mayawati and Netaji," he said.

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Akhilesh said "BJP talks of creating a new nation but we want to have new prime minister to make a new nation."

He claimed Uttar Pradesh progressed only during tenures of SP and BSP.

It should be noted that Ajit Singh, who is also a part of the alliance, was absent from the rally.

In the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, SP got 37 seats, BSP received 38 seats, and RLD will field candidates from 6 seats. UP has 80 Lok Sabha seats

The allies left Congress' bastions Amethi and Raebareli for Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi respectively.