Sonia kick-starts campaign from Modi turf

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday virtually kick-started her party's campaign for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly election from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, by holding an impressive roadshow.

Sonia, whose party has been out of power in the politically crucial state for the past 27 years, attracted huge crowds  though she had to leave the roadshow a little before it was to end, owing to illness.

The Congress president, who was visiting the holy city for the first time after Modi's massive win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, embarked on the roadshow after garlanding the statue of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar. Earlier, she was accorded a rousing reception by thousands of Congress workers on her arrival at the Babatpur Airport. Hundreds of Congress workers on motorbikes accompanied Sonia on the roadshow.

Sonia, whose cavalcade passed through congested localities of Nadesar, Chaukaghat, Alaipur, Golgadda, Pili Kothi, Maidagin, Kabirchaura and Lahurabeer, was cheered by large crowds of people, who lined both sides of the road.

The Congress president waved to the crowd and shook hands with people. She was showered with flower petals throughout the roadshow. People were also seen cheering Sonia, perched on the rooftops of their houses.

The route chosen for Sonia’s roadshow was significant. She passed through Muslim-dominated localities such as Golgadda, Alaipur and Pili Kothi, indicating that the Congress would leave no stone unturned to woo the Muslim community in the Assembly election due early next year.

The roadshow was part of the Congress' campaign titled  ‘Dard-e-Banaras’ (the pain of Varanasi) to highlight, what the party alleged, the poor civic conditions in the town and the pollution plaguing the Ganga river, among others.

Almost the entire state Congress leadership was present in Varanasi to make the roadshow a success. Sonia was accompanied by state party president Raj Babbar, party's UP chief ministerial nominee Sheila Dixit, UP in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad and others.

Sonia falls ill
Sonia Gandhi had to leave her roadshow at the fag end  and return to Delhi after she was taken ill.

According to the Congress leaders, Sonia had ''high fever'' and had to consult a doctor. She was advised against continuing the roadshow and she later left for Delhi.