Rahul follows in the footsteps of his grand-mother Indira

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi followed the footsteps of his grand-mother late prime minister Indira Gandhi when he visited Sewagram Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived for some time during freedom struggle, as he launched his election campaign from Wardha in Maharashtra.

Accompanied by Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakre, Rahul visited 'Bapu Kuti' at Sewagram Ashram.

Indira Gandhi had launched similar election campaigns from Sewagram earlier on a couple of occasions. Members of the Nehru-Gandhi family including the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had visited Sewagram
around general elections.

The 38-year-old leader paid floral tributes to Father of Nation, during his maiden visit. During his Vidarbha tour last year to assess the situation of farmers' suicide, Rahul was scheduled to visit Sewagram but cancelled the programme due to pressing engagements in Delhi.

Maratha strongmen Sharad Pawar too had launched his poll campaign when he split from Congress and formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) way back in 1999.