By IANS,
Lucknow : Congress star campaigner Rahul Gandhi zoomed through different parts of Lucknow in an unusual three-and-a-half-hour roadshow Thursday.
In keeping with his own brand of politics, Rahul Gandhi chose to drive through each of the six assembly constituencies here, covering a distance of 34 km in all.
However, for obvious security reasons, he had to avoid an open vehicle. He instead stood near the open door of a luxury bus, with commandos providing him cover from both inside and outside the vehicle.
It was another matter that his long motorcade followed by dozens of motorcycles threw the city traffic completely out of gear.
And being a busy hour, people took hours to cover even short distances.
Congress nominees for each of the six urban constituencies in the Lucknow district perched themselves inside the bus and stood by Rahul Gandhi one by one as the vehicle moved from one constituency to another.
Sure enough, with the paucity of time, there was no better option for the Gandhi scion who has been campaigning like a one-man Congress army across the length and breadth of the sprawling state.
But he ignored the newer part of Lucknow stretching across Gomati Nagar.
Polling in Lucknow is scheduled for Sunday.
Gandhi, who flew back to Rae Bareli Wednesday evening, returned Thursday afternoon around 3 p.m. after which he meandered through the thoroughfares and streets of Lucknow until about 7 p.m.
While enthusiasm was visible in certain old localities of the city, there were thin crowds in other areas, with only by-passers standing along the roadside to wave to him.
Many felt that the fast movement of the motorcade made it impossible for people to have a reasonable glimpse of Gandhi.
“He has never been here before. Now he zooms in and out. The least he could do was to say hello a little earlier,” said Siddharth, a young doctor.
What disillusioned many was his failure to make even a feeble attempt to connect with the people.
Congress leaders were, however, more than content with the roadshow and hoped it would do wonders for the candidates.