PM, Sonia, Rahul, Priyanka all in Uttar Pradesh Sunday

Apr 15, 2007, 6:15 GMT

Lucknow, April 15 (IANS) It would be a star-studded campaign by the Congress in Uttar Pradesh Sunday. The party's main campaigners - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the entire Gandhi family - are visiting some of the 57 constituencies that go to poll in the third phase of elections Wednesday.

Manmohan Singh is campaigning in Uttar Pradesh for the first time. The Gandhi family would be simultaneously addressing a series of rallies in different places.

The prime minister will address two rallies over the day in Sikh-dominated constituencies in what is better known as the 'Terai' belt. His first rally is at Afzalgarh in Binore district and the second at Puranpur in Pilibhit district.

Displaced Sikhs after the country's partition in 1947 were settled in large numbers in the Terai region along the Himalayan foothills, which is now regarded as an agriculturally prosperous region.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi would start her day from Thakurdwara constituency in Moradabad district where she addresses her first meeting. She will address another rally at Dataganj in Budaun district and then go to Barabanki near Lucknow before returning to New Delhi.

Her daughter Priyanka Vadra, who has been shuttling the past two days between Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies held by her mother and brother respectively, is to return to New Delhi.

MP Rahul Gandhi, on his part, would undertake a whirlwind tour of different constituencies. In Shahjahanpur district alone he is to address roadside rallies at three assembly constituencies - Tilhar, Jalalabad and Puvayan. A long road show has also been planed there.

Rahul Gandhi, the most popular Congress star, has a long agenda with a rally planned in Aonla in Bareilly district followed by a road show in Sanha and Amroha constituencies in Jyotiba Phule Nagar.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service