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Lucknow, September 23:Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi reached Uttar Pradesh Wednesday on an unannounced visit, to the surprise of his party leaders and state police alike.

Gandhi landed at Lucknow airport around 3.30 p.m. and sped away in his Tata Safari that had arrived here earlier from Delhi along with Special Protection Guards (SPG) securitymen.

An official at the Air Traffic Control, requesting anonymity, said Gandhi came by Kingfisher Airlines in economy class.

Neither local Congressmen nor the state police had any clue about his programme or destination. Even the state intelligence department drew a blank about his “sudden” visit.

He visited villages in Barabanki district and some local journalists there also spoke to him. A message from a local sms news service said Gandhi went to Ramnagar town of the district, some 25 km from state capital Lucknow, and met people at random.

He also interacted with villagers in the Bahraich district, according to official sources, who, however, could not confirm his final destination.

State Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who is currently in New Delhi, knew nothing about the Congress leader’s “surprise” tour here.

“We are not even aware whether some party leader was accompanying Rahulji on this visit or not,” said a senior UP Congress leader here.

There was speculation among political circles that the visit could be to get a feel of various parts of Uttar Pradesh other than his Amethi and his mother Sonia Gandhi’s Rae Bareli constituencies in the state.

Back in his Amethi constituency, Gandhi’s supporters and party workers were anxiously hoping he would pay a visit to his sponsored hospital on wheels – better known as Lifeline Express – that annually brings all modern medical services to the local railway station.
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New Delhi, September 24: The Congress and NCP on Wednesday announced the first list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections since the NCP announced the first list of 81 candidates accommodating a number of Ministers in the outgoing alliance government.

The Congress released a list of 159 candidates out of which 77 are new faces.

11 Ministers have been giving tickets again while 7 standing MLAs were denied ticket.

Prominent among those who figure in the list included Deputy Chief Minsiter Chhagan Bujpal from Yeola, NCP Maharashtra President R R Patil from Tasgaon and Home Minister Jayant Patil from Islampur.

The Sharad Pawar-led party, which is a part of ruling alliance with Congress in the state for the last 10 years, is contesting 114 of the total 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra while Congress is contesting remaining 174.

The seat-sharing arrangement was formally announced in Delhi late last night.

Bhujbal would be contesting from Yevla in Nashik district from where he won the 2004 Assembly elections.

R R Patil is contesting from Tasgaon-Kavthe Mahankal in Sangli district.

Ajit Pawar is seeking e-election from Baramati while Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil has been fielded by the party from Pandharpur in Solapur district.

NCP has also given ticket to minister of state Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, son of senior NCP leader Padmasinh Patil, who is in jail in connection with Pawanraje Nimbalkar murder case.
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