Rahul Gandhi's first visit to Amethi after elected as Cong vice president

Arriving to a rousing reception here for the first time after being made vice president of the Congress, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday assured people of his constituency that he would do whatever is possible for its development.

Landing at the Fursatganj airport for a two-day visit, Gandhi was greeted by the people of the constituency amidst playing of 'Dhol' and 'Nagara'.

Getting on to the dais erected at regular intervals for his welcome, Gandhi said his relation with the constituency and its people was that of a family and not a political one.

"Whenever I get a chance to come, I come here. It is relationship of love. This (you people) is my family and I am not going to leave it," he said.

On the development of Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said its pace did not match the works done by the Centre

"Whatever we can do from the Centre we are doing... But things can change here (in UP) when there is a government for development. We have to change that and go for development here," he said.

The Congress MP rued that the youth were still going out of the state for employment.

Gandhi, who had to visit the constituency on February 5, but cancelled the plan due to bad weather, apologised for any inconvenience to the people.

When his attention was drawn to jobs at the local petroleum institute, he said things needed to speed up for which he would talk to the concerned minister and ensure that people could get employment.

Enthusiasm of the locals about his visit could be gauged from the graffiti painted on walls.

Slogans like 'yuvaon ne thana hai, Rahul ko PM banana hai' (Youth have resolved to make Rahul the Prime Minister), 'Yuvaon me hai nayi umang, aao chalo Rahul ke sang' (Youth have new enthusiasm, let us support Rahul) have come up.

... contd.

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