Rahul Gandhi conducts roadshow in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s mega roadshow from the Durg town to the state capital Raipur, covering a distance of 50 km, drew huge crowds today.

Gandhi was on a two-day visit of BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, where Assembly elections are due this year and where his party has been out of power for 15 years.

After interacting with booth-level workers at Pandit Ravishankar Shukla Stadium in the Durg town, he set out on the roadshow in a bus with a sunroof opening.

State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, Congress Legislative Party leader T S Singhdeo, Durg MP Tamradhwaj Sahu, Congress MLAs and local leaders took part in the roadshow, which saw huge crowds of party workers and people at various places.

Around 50 cars and SUVs were part of the convoy which travelled down the NH-6.

Gandhi was greeted by Congress workers on elephants and horsebacks at Ahiwara Turn.

The Congress president got off the bus after arriving at Tatibandh on the outskirts of Raipur and met party workers.

As the convoy reached Geetanagar area, Gandhi visited the family of veteran journalist Govindlal Vora, who passed away on May 13, and express condolences.

Vora, editor of Hindi daily Amrit Sandesh, was the younger brother of Congress Rajya Sabha MP and AICC treasurer Motilal Vora.

The roadshow culminated at the airport around 7.40 PM.

Police and the Special Protection Group maintained tight security all along the route.

Many roads in busy areas of the city were barricaded and traffic was diverted.