Rahul gets grand welcome in Vasundhara Raje’s turf

JHALAWAR: With an aim to break into the BJP bastion in Hadauti region and particularly the home turf of chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday led a roadshow from Jhalawar to Kota.

This was Rahul’s third roadshow in the state since August. He had earlier held similar roadshows in Jaipur and Dholpur. On Wednesday, Rahul’s roadshow started from a private resort at Jhalawar, where he had stopped for lunch after his public address. On way to Kota, he received a grand reception for party workers at several points. Enthusiastic party workers, who were waiting for a glimpse of their leader, were also seen using their phones to click his pictures or making videos.

While Rahul waved at the crowd from Congress’s specially modified bus, he was also found to be busy over his mobile phone for a large part of the 90-km distance.

The one person who grabbed eyeballs was Dinesh Sharma, a youth from Jind in Haryana, who has been a constant participant at the Rahul Gandhi road shows. Waving a huge tri-colour and clad in the same colours, this bare-footed youth ran behind his bus all the way.

“I have pledged that I will remain barefoot till Rahul becomes the PM. The day is not far,’’ said Dinesh, a law graduate. He claimed he has been accompanying Rahul, at his own expense, across the country for the past seven years.