Lucknow, Sep 9 (IANS): Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday postponed his visit to Rampur to express solidarity with Azam Khan, MP from his party.

Akhilesh Yadav said during a press conference that the Yogi government had stopped him from going to Rampur, forcing him to cancel his visit on Monday. He said: "I had to leave for Rampur today. I had shared all the details with the administration, including the people whom I was going to meet. But, the District Magistrate gave the pretext of Muharram and told us that the arrangements for the visit could not be made."

Akhilesh Yadav added: "Since Muharram and Ganesh Visarjan is happening, so I have postponed my programme. I am going there on September 13 and 14. I will be sending all the details to the administration"

The former Chief Minister accused the District Magistrate (DM) of not making the arrangements: "The DM is seeking extension, he wants to be in Uttar Pradesh only."

Akhilesh Yadav attacked his erstwhile partner Congress also. He said: "The BJP, Congress and the administration are in unison in Rampur. BJP has no faith in democracy. They don't want the University to be there. The government has made Rampur an issue only to hide their failures."

Azam Khan has been slapped with 81 cases. And, when he seemed to be fighting a lonely battle, Mulayam Singh came out in support of him.

A few days back, Mulayam Singh held a press conference in Lucknow and asked the party workers to agitate in support of Azam Khan. After this, Akhilesh fixed his programme of meeting Azam Khan's family on Monday.

Congress leader and vice president of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee minority cell Faisal Khan had written to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, appealing to her to stop Akhilesh Yadav from going to Rampur as this could instigate violence in the area.