Rahul Gandhi leaves for Lakhimpur Kheri from Lucknow airport in own vehicle

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi left for Lakhimpur Kheri from the Lucknow airport in his own vehicle after staging a brief 'dharna' on initially being asked to travel in a police vehicle, a party spokesperson said.

"Rahul Gandhiji along with Punjab Chief Minister Charanjeet Singh Channi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel have left for Lakhimpur Kheri from the Lucknow airport, UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh told PTI.

Gandhi had reached the Lucknow airport from Delhi along with Channi and Baghel.

Television footage from the airport showed officials telling Gandhi to take the police vehicle, which Gandhi did not agree to and sat on a 'dharna' there.

"We want to go in our own vehicles, but they want that we should go in their vehicle. I want to know that why are you not allowing me to go? First, I was told that I can go in my own vehicle, now you are saying that you will go in police vehicle. They are doing some mischief," Gandhi told reporters.

To a question, he said, "You can put me or Priyanka in a jail. It does not have any meaning. The question is that six people were crushed by criminals. Those who should have been in a jail, are not being put in a jail. We are being stopped from meeting the aggrieved families of the farmers.