Rahul Gandhi commences Congress poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal, Sep 17 Amid huge pomp and show and show, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday started the poll campaign for his party in Madhya Pradesh. He started the crusade by taking the blessings from 11 Hindu priests in the Lalgathi area and holding a roadshow in the poll-bound state.

Rahul, arrived in Bhopal on Monday was accorded a fabulous welcome at the airport by Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath and senior party leader and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia among others. Pennants and blurbs depicting Rahuk as a 'Shiv bhakt' were set up over the city. Serenades of 'Rahul Gandhi Zindabad' were also heard on his landing.

Before starting his 15-km-long roadshow, Rahul took the blessings of the riests and performed a 'puja'. A large number of Congressmen thronged the roadsides and jostled to get a look at their gathering boss, who set out in the transport alongside senior party leaders.

He even stopped to drink tea and eat somasas also allowing his devotees to click selfies with him.

There is heavy security sending over the 15-km stretch where the roadshow is being held. Other than the general police constrain, an extra 1,500 policemen are keeping an eye in the city of Bhopal.

Rahul's roadshow, in which he rode in an open vehicle, finished up at the Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd's Dussehra Maidan where he will interface with party units at night. A T-shape ramp has been built close to the stste from where Rahul will take inquiries from party workers during his interaction with them.

The Congress is planning to gain power in the state which has been controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the most recent 15 years. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are due this year along with Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram.