Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday filed his nomination papers from Amethi constituency in the presence of his family members.

Rahul Gandhi, along with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and their children Raihan and Miraya took out a 40-minute roadshow atop a bus before reaching Amethi collectorate in Gauriganj to file his nomination papers. This will be the fourth time that Rahul will be contesting Lok Sabha election from Amethi.

United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who did not join the roadshow for health reasons, came early to the collectorate to be with her son when he filed the nomination papers before district returning officer Ram Manohar Mishra.

The Congress president is also contesting election from Wayanad in Kerala and had filed his papers for the seat on April 4.

After filing his nomination papers, Rahul Gandhi rushed to Fursatganj airport to take a chartered flight to Bihar and West Bengal for campaigning there while the other family members returned to a guest house in Rae Bareli.

On Thursday, the whole family will assemble again when Sonia Gandhi files her nomination papers for the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat.

During the roadshow to the collectorate, Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary in-charge UP east Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and children  Raihan and Miraya waved to the huge crowd from atop a make-shift bus. This was the first time that the whole Vadra family had joined an political event. Earlier, Robert Vadra used to campaign alone in support of his brother-in-law.

The Congress chief and his family were greeted by party workers, who gathered in the city braving hot weather conditions to get a glimpse of their leaders.              

As the roadshow passed, crowds on both sides of the road showered rose petals and marigold flowers on their leader and cheered for the Congress chief, who waved back at them.

The surging crowd of Congress supporters walked along Rahul’s vehicle as it made its way to the Collectorate through Munshiganj, Darpipur and Gauriganj.

Enthusiastic youngsters on motorcycles moved around making videos of the event on their mobile phones. UP Congress leaders Pramod Tiwari, Deepak Singh were in the crowd during the road show.

Since morning, Congress supporters wearing tricolour caps and scarves, were out on the streets holding placards and posters in preparation for their party president’s visit. They raised slogans and often broke into impromptu dance at the beat drums. The streets were lined with Congress flags, and hoardings and posters with pictures of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. Some banners read ‘Vikas ki andhi, Priyanka Gandhi’ and ‘Amethi ka sansad, desh ka PM’.

In Amethi, Rahul is pitted against Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, whom he had defeated in 2014 election by a margin of over one lakh votes.