Clinton spends two hours in Lucknow village, also meets Akhilesh

Former US president Bill Clinton arrived here Thursday afternoon to participate in a social activity in Jabrauli, a village on the outskirts of the state capital.

Under heavy security escort, Clinton drove straight to the village after landing at the Chaudhary Charan Singh airport in a specially chartered plane.

The event, a part of the Clinton Health Axis initiative, was part of a series in which it provides for healthcare training and treatment of diarrhoea involving self-help groups and school children.

Clinton spent about two hours in the village and mingled freely with the womenfolk and others present. He later met the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and some of his ministers.

A government spokesman said the two leaders discussed health care sector in detail and Clinton offered to help the state in some healthcare initiatives it had undertaken.

Clinton had last visited Lucknow Sep 7, 2005, when Akhilesh's father and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister.