The much-awaited road show by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been cancelled.
According to a senior Congress leader who was part of the preparation, the decision to defer the road show was taken due to the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, a patron saint of the downtrodden who belonged to the Hindu holy city.
The message was communicated to district Congress leaders on Thursday night by a phone call from Rahul Gandhi's New Delhi office, he said.
A later date is being worked out, he added.
After stitching together a poll alliance between the Samajwadi Party and Congress for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the two leaders have taken out well-attended road shows in Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra.
Varanasi is considered a stronghold of the BJP. The PM’s parliamentary constituency has five Assembly seats – Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt and Sevapuri.
Polling here will be held in the last and seventh round of polling on March 8. Results will be declared on March 11.
