The Congress young turk campaigned in Jewar for 46-year-old Bansi Pahadia, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls thrice in the past.
JEWAR/UTTAR PRADESH: Rahul Gandhi is considered the most eligible bachelor and now the young Congress leader has come to help another unmarried man, the party's candidate here who has vowed not to tie the nuptial knot till he becomes an MLA.
The Congress young turk on Monday campaigned in this dusty constituency in Gautam Buddha Nagar district for 46-year-old Bansi Pahadia, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls thrice in the past.
A loyal Congressman, Pahadia lost elections by a slender margin of 301 votes last time to Narendra Kumar of BSP. He has a financially weak background and has been doing odd jobs like helping people getting a ration card or a power connection.
BJP has fielded Gita Kumari while BSP has fielded a former BJP man Horam Singh against Pahadia in this constituency, which has around 2.5 lakh voters with a mix of Muslims, Jats and Thakurs.
"I had vowed not to get married till I get elected to the state Assembly," Pahadia said. He also found support from UPCC chief Salman Khursheed who asked the people to vote for Bansi so that he can settle down in life.
"Aap bansi ko jitake uska ghar basa dijiye (Help him win election so that he can settle down in life," he said.
The tone of Gandhi's speech was the same as he harped on Uttar Pradesh sliding down the development index in the last 15 years of "misrule" by successive SP and BSP governments and asked the youth to come forward to make a change.
"There was a time when Uttar Pradesh showed the way to the nation, be it the fight against the British or be it the path of development. The state always had good roads, hospitals and electricity," Gandhi told a campaign rally.
"Uttar Pradesh was always on the road to development, but this changed in the past 15 years. This had happened because parties divided you on the basis of caste and religion," he said without naming any particular party.
Gandhi, on a mission to revive his party's fortunes in the politically-important state, had been attacking both the Samajwadi Party, BJP and the BSP during his road shows and talking about helping the state regain its glorious past.
"They make promises only to break them. If you want a change, the youth of the state will have to think in a new direction. Otherwise Uttar Pradesh will never be back on the road of development," Gandhi said seeking to strike a chord with the young voters.
Reiterating that he has not come just for campaigning, the Amethi MP said he will work for a long period as it is a Gandhi family tradition. "Whosoever from my family has come in public life has worked for you for long time and I will do the same."
"I have come to you to work shoulder-to-shoulder with you. I am not here just because of elections. I will also come after the elections to work for the development of the region," he added.
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