Priyanka begins 2-day Assam visit by offering prayers at Kamakhya

    Guwahati, Mar 1 (PTI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi
Vadra began her two-day visit to poll-bound Assam on Monday by
offering prayers at the famed Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.
    The AICC general secretary, accompanied by the party's
Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh, was received at the Lokpriyo
Gopinath Bordoloi Airport here by state unit chief Ripun Bora
and other party leaders.
    She halted at Jalukbari area, where Congress
supporters felicitated her, before proceeding to the Shakti
Peeth atop Nilachal Hills.
    Clad in a red outfit, the prevalent colour symbolising
Shakti, the Congress leader said that she wanted to visit the
temple for long and "her wish has come true".
    "I sought blessings for myself, my family and above
all for the people of Assam," she told reporters.
    Asked about the forthcoming elections in the state,
she said she will talk later about politics.
    "I come to temples to seek blessings and offer thanks
to the God who has given me a lot," she added.
    Earlier, the Congress leader posted on her Facebook
page, "Today I will start my two-day Assam tour by visiting
Maa Kamakhya Devi. I will take part in the dialogue with the
sisters-brothers and party workers of Assam on many important
issues."
    Bora said that entire Assam is "looking forward to her
two-day visit and the enthusiasm is evident".
    "Her visit, which further fuels hope in the heart of
every last person in Assam, deceived by lies and fake promises
in these five years, of a new dawn of progress awaiting the
state under Congress rule," Bora tweeted.
    After visiting the Kamakhya shrine, she left for the
airport to go to Lakhimpur in Upper Assam, where she is
scheduled to visit Sonari gram panchayat, hold a meeting with
party workers and launch a protest programme of unemployed
youths.
    She is also scheduled to visit the birthplace of
Srimanta Sankardeva's primary disciple Sri Madhavdev at
Letekupukhuri before leaving for Gohpur in Bishwanath
district.
    The Congress leader is scheduled to offer homage at
the statue of freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua, who was
martyred in police firing while attempting to hoist the Indian
flag during the Quit India movement in 1942.
    She will also interact with women tea garden workers
and self-help group members before spending the night at
Bishwanath.
    On Tuesday, the Congress leader will visit Sadharu tea
estate in Biswanath, where she will interact with women tea
garden workers, before leaving for Tezpur in Sonitpur
district.
    She is also scheduled to visit the Mahabhirav Temple
and address a public rally at Tezpur, before concluding her
two-day visit to the state.
    Elections to the constituencies in these three
districts will be held in the first phase of polling in 47
seats on March 27.
    Elections to the 126-member assembly will be held in
three phases, with 39 seats going to polls in the second phase
on April 1 and 40 in the third and final phase on April 6. PTI
DG
ACD ACD

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)