My mother is my hero: Rahul Gandhi

"My mother is my hero," said Rahul Gandhi on Thursday after winning the Amethi Lok Sabha seat by over 300,000 votes.

Sonia Gandhi has won against all odds, the 33-year old Rahul remarked.

Winning from a seat, which his mother Sonia Gandhi represented in the dissolved Lok Sabha, he said his first priority will be to connect himself with the people of Amethi.

Rahul credited the comeback of Congress to the work done by his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi.

"Today's verdict is on my mother's work and the strength of Congress," he told reporters after he defeated Chandra Prakash Misra of the BSP by 300,500 votes.

Asked if the Congress and allies coming back to power was a surprise package, he said, "No it is not a surprise package. (Victories in) Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were not a surprise. It was pretty clear to us, we will do well."

Rahul, who was targetted by the BJP for his mother's foreign origin, said, "My family has (faced) personal attacks for last 50 years. We are not interested (in them). Frankly, we are not bothered and they don't affect us."

Indian masses, he said, had rejected BJP's negative campaign. "Hindustani public bahut sensible aur intelligent public hai (Indian public is very sensible and intelligent to get swayed by such remarks)."

"If a political party runs a campaign centred on one person, then that means, they have nothing for the masses. People will give befitting reply and (today) they have done so."