Akhilesh seeks meeting, Maya sends black Merc to escort him

LUCKNOW: SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati met at the latterâs residence around 7 pm on Wednesday, hours after the alliance between the arch rivals defeated BJP in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls.The momentous meeting, which lasted nearly an hour after a black Mercedes sent by Mayawati led Akhileshâs cavalcade to her home, was planned in a very short time, through deft backroom work.Minutes after addressing a press conference on the victory of SP candidates, Akhilesh received a call from a senior BSP functionary, who congratulated the former CM and convinced him to call up Mayawati, sources said. Akhilesh agreed and spoke to the BSP boss and sought to meet her.Mayawati, the sources added, agreed and sent an emissary in the black Mercedes to Akhileshâs house on Vikramaditya Marg to escort him to her Mall Avenue residence, barely a kilometre away.BSP national general secretary SC Mishra and BSP MP Ashok Siddharth are believed to have played a key role in planning the meeting between the former chief ministers.Though SP and BSP did not officially disclose what transpired between the two leaders, sources said Akhilesh, sporting his trademark red cap, expressed his gratitude to Mayawati for supporting his party candidates in the high stakes byelections. After the meeting, the SP leader came out of Mayawatiâs residence in his car and waved at supporters. He did not speak to the media.