Congress wraps up poll campaign with Priyanka’s roadshow in Solan

Ambika Sharma

Solan, May 30

AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi held a 40-minute roadshow here today to mark the closure of the Congress’ election campaign. The roadshow passed through the Mall Road and Priyanka greeted local residents. She was accompanied by Congress candidate from the Shimla Lok Sabha seat Vinod Sultanpuri and Minister for Health and Family Welfare DR Shandil, besides party MLAs from Solan and Shimla.

Offers prayers at Jakhu temple

• Priyanka Gandhi paid obeisance at Lord Hanuman temple at Jakhu in Shimla after the Solan roadshow
• Accompanied by her daughter Miraya, Priyanka arrived at the Jakhu temple unannounced. The duo clad in salwar suits and their heads covered with dupattas offered prayers at the ancient temple of Lord Hanuman and sat there for some time
• “Aap to pehle bhi mere se mile thee naa. Yeh meri beti hai,” she said, hugging a woman while introducing Miraya to her
• Priyanka got pictures clicked with devotees at the temple and asked security personnel to let them interact with her

The roadshow started from the old Circuit House around 3.30 pm with party workers holding flags marching along with her specially-bedecked open vehicle and culminated near the old Deputy Commissioner’s office around 4.15 pm. It was amusing to see Congress leaders using the party flag laid over the open vehicle as a cover from the scorching sun.

Priyanka waved at people standing along the road and greeted them with folded hands while trying to establish a connect with them. The roadshow covered a distance of about a kilometre in nearly 40 minutes. Shandil was no match for the young charismatic Priyanka whose presence was enough to attract crowds. Sultanpuri shook hands with those in his vicinity while passing on a few rose sticks to Priyanka presented by people.

Other MLAs like Anirudh Singh, Sanjay Awasthi and Ramkumar Chawdhary were also seen waving at the crowd as they took turns to stand with Priyanka. The roadshow managed to vitalise the rather lacklustre election campaign of the Congress.

The roadshow also witnessed a dash of music and dhol beats as party workers shouted slogans. To greet its national leader, the Congress had put up party flags all over the Mall Road, not even sparing electricity poles and the wall of Government Senior Secondary School. This drew flak from the BJP, which was quick to register its protest with the Deputy Commissioner.

Priyanka, while returning after the roadshow, stopped her car on the Solan bypass on seeing some children and Congress workers standing there. She talked to them and also posed for selfies with them. The Congress workers were elated to meet Priyanka and greeted her with rose sticks.