India, Oct. 9 -- Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav met party's senior leader Azam Khan on Wednesday, the first time after the former SP MP was released from jail last month, with the two leaders striking a posture of unity amid speculation of a rift between Khan and the SP leadership.

Soon after Khan was released from the Sitapur jail on September 23 after the Allahabad high court granted him bail in the Quality Bar land-encroachment case, Yadav had announced that he would go and meet Khan.

Khan personally received Akhilesh earlier in the day. Both leaders travelled together in the same car to Khan's residence. Yadav flew from Lucknow by a private plane at 11.30am, reached Bareilly airport and then travelled by helicopte...