Rahul to set off on UP mahayatra from Deoria on September 6

New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) Rahul Gandhi will embark on amahayatra from Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh to Delhi fromSeptember 6 traversing as many as 233 assembly constituenciesto reach out to people ahead of crucial polls slated earlynext year. Rahul’s programme was announced by AICC general secretaryGhulam Nabi Azad, who said the Congress vice president wouldtravel through 39 districts of Uttar Pradesh covering 2,500 kmin the nearly month-long exercise. The mahayatra is a programme organised after thesuccessful road show of Sonia Gandhi earlier this month andthe two yatras of state party leaders which are currentlygoing through various districts of the state. Azad said no big public meeting is being planned duringthe mahayatra in which Rahul will address small rallies asalso hold road shows in towns along the way. Asked if the Congress vice president would visit Ayodhyaas part of the mahayatra, Azad evaded a direct answer saying,"He would visit whatever places that would come in between andnot to create any controversy out of it." The senior Congress leader, who is also in-charge of partyaffairs in Uttar Pradesh, said Rahul will meet men, women, andthe youth and discuss the various issues that they are facing. He said in 21 districts Rahul will have ‘khaat sabhas’also while there will be road shows in numerous large townsand cities. Azad claimed that Rahul’s interaction with party workersand Sonia’s roadshows have been a success so far. PTI SPG SKCZMN