Priyanka Gandhi begins campaigning in UP

Amethi, Jan 16 (ANI): In an endeavor to reach out to the voters ahead of the upcoming state assembly polls, Priyanka Gandhi today began her tour of Congress strongholds Amethi and Rae Bareli in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

Priyanka, who began her three-day campaign visit today, is meeting the Congress Party workers of her brother Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi to chalk out the future course of action.

Congress Party workers, who appeared to be delighted with her visit, said that they have high hopes from the Gandhi family.

"We welcome every decision taken by the Congress Party. We have high hopes from Priyanka. She (Sonia Gandhi) is the leader of our party. I believe her participation is healthy for politics and she has managed everything in a very systematic manner in the country," said Idil Mohamed, a Congress Party worker.

Congress has six of the ten assembly seats in Amethi and Rae Bareli Parliamentary Constituencies. Rahul Gandhi represents Amethi, while Rae Bareli is represented by Sonia Gandhi.

The assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh is seen as an opportunity for Congress party to re-establish foothold in its erstwhile political base in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh are to be conducted in seven phases between February 8 and March 3. The counting of votes would take place on March 6.

Uttar Pradesh will elect a new 403-member state assembly in March, and the poll results are expected to broadly indicate trends for 2014 general elections. (ANI)