Amethi is set to accord a traditional welcome to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who will be on a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency after his recent visit to Kailash Mansarovar. A senior Congress leader said in Lucknow on Saturday that there was a tradition in Poorvanchal and Awadh to felicitate people once they return from pilgrimage.

‘’Amethi is like home for Rahul Gandhi and Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is the most pious Hindu pilgrimage and hence he deserves a special welcome,” he said. This will be Gandhi’s first visit to Amethi after his Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. UP Congress MLC and leader of the Upper House Deepak Singh confirmed that Gandhi would reach Amethi on Monday and after attending several programmes, he would leave for New Delhi on Tuesday evening. “During his stay, the Amethi MP will attend the district vigilance committee meeting to review developmental works. Besides, he will also attend several farmers’ chaupals and inspect development works done under MPLAD,” Singh said. Sources also said that Rahul Gandhi might also attend ‘prabhat pheri’, an ambitious programme of the party, which would kickstart on Tuesday and culminate on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. During prabhat pheris, Congressmen will stroll through villages chanting ‘Ram Dhun’ (Raghupati Raghav Rajaram....) and spread the message of love and harmony and non-violence as preached by Mahatma Gandhi. Later, the Congress workers will also take a vow on not allowing anyone to divide the country on caste or communal lines and spread hatred.