05-02-2007, 11:27 AM
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<b>Rahul`s Varanasi roadshow hit with supporters, dull with voters</b>
Varanasi, May 02: The roadshow of charismatic Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the holy city <b>yesterday drew an overwhelming response from party workers and supporters, but did not attract much response from the general public.</b>
The Amethi MP, perched atop an open jeep and flanked by Congress candidates was showered with rose petals and marigold garlands. Rahul Gandhi was also gifted keepsake photographs of Lord Kal Bhairav, besides a 'rudraksha' chain and a colourful 'dupatta' bearing religious slogans in old city coming under Varanasi (south) assembly segment.
Prior to that, the roadshow travelled through relatively empty streets only dotted with Congress workers and supporters in patches in Varanasi (north) assembly segment. The 23-km roadshow's last stretch --<b> through Varanasi (Cantt) seat -- was a disappointment for the Congress leaders who had worked round the clock for the last few days to ensure a memorable success for the roadshow that has drawn large crowds in other parts of Uttar Pradesh</b>.
''It is partly due to security restrictions and partly due to scorching heat that the roadshow seemed to be a dull affair in some parts of the city, especially parts of Varanasi (Cantt) constituency,'' said Milan Srivastava, the spokesperson for Mohammed Sheikh Shamim, the party candidate from Varanasi (North) seat.
The roadshow started from Hotel Radisson at 1010 hrs and ended at 1345 hrs at the Benia Bag ground after travelling through Muslim- dominated Peeli Kothi, Adampura, Madanpura, Shivala and Nai Sarak areas besides Maidagin, Chowk, Baansphtak, Sonarpura, Assi, Lanka, Sunderpur, Kakarmatta, Mehmoorganj, Rathyatra, Luxa and Godowlia localities.
While the roadshow was welcomed by a huge crowd of onlookers and Congress workers eager to catch a glimpse of their young leader in Muslim-dominated Adampura, Peeli Kothi (Varanasi North) and Madanpura (Varanasi South) there were only a handful of supporters waiting to welcome the Congress MP in Nai Sarak area, which partly lies in Varanasi South and Varanasi Cantt seats.
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Barring patches of support at Lanka, Sunderpur and Kakarmatta, the roadshow zoomed past the empty streets in Mehmoorganj, Luxa, Godowlia and Benia Bag localities which were jam-packed during the roadshow of Gandhi in the city just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2003.
<b>''That time Congress won the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi, but this time Rahul's roadshow is only likely to affect poll result in Varanasi (South) seat and none of the other four seats,''</b> said Babu Ansari, a Banarasi saree trader of Madanpura locality.
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<b>Rahul`s Varanasi roadshow hit with supporters, dull with voters</b>
Varanasi, May 02: The roadshow of charismatic Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the holy city <b>yesterday drew an overwhelming response from party workers and supporters, but did not attract much response from the general public.</b>
The Amethi MP, perched atop an open jeep and flanked by Congress candidates was showered with rose petals and marigold garlands. Rahul Gandhi was also gifted keepsake photographs of Lord Kal Bhairav, besides a 'rudraksha' chain and a colourful 'dupatta' bearing religious slogans in old city coming under Varanasi (south) assembly segment.
Prior to that, the roadshow travelled through relatively empty streets only dotted with Congress workers and supporters in patches in Varanasi (north) assembly segment. The 23-km roadshow's last stretch --<b> through Varanasi (Cantt) seat -- was a disappointment for the Congress leaders who had worked round the clock for the last few days to ensure a memorable success for the roadshow that has drawn large crowds in other parts of Uttar Pradesh</b>.
''It is partly due to security restrictions and partly due to scorching heat that the roadshow seemed to be a dull affair in some parts of the city, especially parts of Varanasi (Cantt) constituency,'' said Milan Srivastava, the spokesperson for Mohammed Sheikh Shamim, the party candidate from Varanasi (North) seat.
The roadshow started from Hotel Radisson at 1010 hrs and ended at 1345 hrs at the Benia Bag ground after travelling through Muslim- dominated Peeli Kothi, Adampura, Madanpura, Shivala and Nai Sarak areas besides Maidagin, Chowk, Baansphtak, Sonarpura, Assi, Lanka, Sunderpur, Kakarmatta, Mehmoorganj, Rathyatra, Luxa and Godowlia localities.
While the roadshow was welcomed by a huge crowd of onlookers and Congress workers eager to catch a glimpse of their young leader in Muslim-dominated Adampura, Peeli Kothi (Varanasi North) and Madanpura (Varanasi South) there were only a handful of supporters waiting to welcome the Congress MP in Nai Sarak area, which partly lies in Varanasi South and Varanasi Cantt seats.
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Barring patches of support at Lanka, Sunderpur and Kakarmatta, the roadshow zoomed past the empty streets in Mehmoorganj, Luxa, Godowlia and Benia Bag localities which were jam-packed during the roadshow of Gandhi in the city just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2003.
<b>''That time Congress won the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi, but this time Rahul's roadshow is only likely to affect poll result in Varanasi (South) seat and none of the other four seats,''</b> said Babu Ansari, a Banarasi saree trader of Madanpura locality.
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