As Rahul Gandhi undertakes his 2,500-km yatra in Uttar Pradesh ahead of UP Election, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav termed the Congress scion as a good human being and said they can forge a “friendship” if he spends more time in the state, setting off speculation about a political realignment.

“Rahulji bahut acche insan hain, bahut acche ladke hain. UP me jyada rahenge to hamari bhi dosti unse hogi…do acche log mil jaye to kya kharab baat hai? (Rahul is a good human being and a good boy. If he spends more time in UP, we can also have friendship with him…If two good human beings meet, what’s wrong in that),” he said.

During his ongoing ‘Kisan Mahayatra’ in the state, Gandhi has been aggressively attacking Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi but has taken only veiled jibes at the SP government in the state.

When Akhilesh was asked about chances of SP-Congress coalition for UP Election, he said, “Aap isme rajniti kyun dekh rahe hain (Why are you seeing politics in it?”

He was talking to media after a Cabinet meeting.

Asked about state minister Azam Khan’s controversial comments on BR Ambedkar, Akhilesh said the issue should not be politicised.

“In Uttar Pradesh, elections are nearing. No one should become ‘thekedar’ of ‘mahapurush’ (great personalities). You should not let them become ‘thekedar of mahapurush,” he said.

On the Cabinet meeting, Akhilesh said, it was decided to hike old age pension from Rs 300 to Rs 500 per month, formation of new nagar panchyats and construction of Acharya Narendra Dev Memorial park in Sitapur.