LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanath government blocked Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders from leading a march to the state Assembly on Monday for the second time this month.

About 119 MLAs and MLCs, led by SP president Akhilesh Yadav, as well as other party leaders, began marching towards the Assembly on Monday morning, but were halted by the police since they lacked the necessary authorization.

The Samajwadi Party MLAs were requested to take a different route to the Assembly by police authorities, but they refused. Akhilesh and the party's MLAs set up a dharna near the party office while squatting on the ground as the throng grew. The Samajwadi Party MLAs carried signs with slogans critical of the Yogi administration.

At the party headquarters, there was a significant police presence, and all routes were heavily blocked. Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister, told reporters that SP MLAs had every right to attend the assembly session. He added, "However, they cannot be allowed to obstruct traffic movement on the highways if they have not obtained permission for the march.

The state administration prevented  Samajwadi Party dharna on September 14 in protest of a number of issues affecting the populace. Akhilesh was unable to leave his home because of the police barricades, and other prominent SP officials were also detained within their residences.

RLD MLAs protested in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the Vidhan Bhawan on Monday as well.

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