Rahul storms Varanasi

Varanasi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday stormed Varanasi to campaign against BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Narendra Modi, holding a maiden road show and addressing a huge rally where he promised the right to health if the Congress was voted back to power.

Two days after Modi held a mammoth road show and a day after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal attracted thousands, Gandhi rode on an open vehicle through the heart of Varanasi, surrounded by slogan-shouting Congress activists. It was the biggest show of strength by the Congress since the election campaign got underway in Varanasi. Gandhi's road show began from a Muslim-dominated area, Gol Gadda.

Varanasi, which votes on May 12, is witnessing a high-profile political contest between Modi, Kejriwal and Congress candidate Ajay Rai. Taking Narendra Modi head-on, Rahul to the snoopgate, saying the BJP leader was speaking of empowering women but should first start giving respect to them. Also targeting UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was holding a roadshow in the constituency, Rahul raked up the issue of Muzaffarnagar riots and said Samjawadi Party government had failed to protect the minorities. He alleged that Modi had insulted the people by saying that the country has not achieved anything in the last 60 years.

Gandhi's rally comes after Modi addressed a rally in the Congress scion's Amethi Lok Sabha constituency May 5. He listed the National Food Security Act, Land Acquisition Act and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as the steps taken by the UPA government for the people.

He also claimed that Gujarat gave away land at very low rates to industrialists while delaying it to defence forces. On Modi, he said, "Few days back, I saw a poster in Delhi which had Modji's image and it was written that "Mahilaon ko main shakti doonga". Me, not we, only me." "You (Modi) send police after woman in Gujarat, you tape phone of woman. You make their conversation listen by police and Home Ministry. You stop that. There is no need to give power. The country has power in itself. You please give this country little respect. He (Modi) does not have understanding about India. There is no need to give strength to women of India. They have huge strength," he said.