Rahul Gandhi holds roadshow in Varanasi

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Saturday held a roadshow

here in favour of party candidate Ajay Rai from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

Rahul Gandhi reached the Babatpur airport in the state and then flew in a chopper to Varanasi city. His roadshow saw thousands of people lining both sides of the route in the city.

His cavalcade passed through many localities dominated by the minority. Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Pramod Tiwari, Madhusudan Mistry and Mukul Wasnik.

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is overseeing the election campaign in Varanasi, told reporters that the party was 100 percent confident of winning the battle.

He trashed reports that Rahul Gandhi came to the city on the last day of campaigning in the high-profile seat as a pay back to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for campaigning in Amethi Lok Sabha constituency.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal are also scheduled to hold roadshows Saturday in the city.

Campaigning for Varanasi and 17 other seats in the state will close later Saturday and polling will be held May 12.