Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday launched the campaign for her party in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh for 2017 UP Assembly elections.

Sonia was accompanied by the huge party supporters who led her from the airport to the heart of the city waving party flags in hands. This is also the first visit of the Congress president to Varanasi after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014.

UP: Congress President Sonia Gandhi arrives in Varanasi, will lead party's road show here. pic.twitter.com/yk9h74Zj4s

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 2, 2016

UP: Congress President Sonia Gandhi arrives in Varanasi, will lead party's road show here. pic.twitter.com/yorGuDbENk

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 2, 2016

Congress president Sonia Gandhi en route to Circuit House in Varanasi, will lead party's road show later in the day pic.twitter.com/9P2I5ohtuJ

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 2, 2016

Mrs. Gandhi, with Sheila Dikshit, chief ministerial candidate for the party in the state, AICC general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad, UPCC chief Raj Babbar, and senior party leaders Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Singh, will be visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple in the evening to offer prayers.

Congress, with launching ‘Dard-E-Banaras’ program for the state to highlight the lack development in the city, which was represented by PM Modi in Lok Sabha, have launched the scathing attack on Narendra Modi.

For UP, the party has launched ‘27 Saal UP Behal’ campaign as the party was not in power in the state since the last 27 years.

In 2014 general elections, Congress managed to win only two seats from Amethi and Rae Bareli. Under the leadership of Prashant Kishore, Congress is campaigning in the state for the elections.

By Prajakt K.