Congress President Sonia Gandhi's two-day visit to Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency from Wednesday is keenly awaited by a large section of people who see her as an 'epitome of sacrifice' and not as a coy bahu she was once considered.
Not only Congress supporters, but a large number of voters are eagarly awaiting Gandhi's tour of three Assembly segments on Wednesday and the remaining two segments of the Lok Sabha seat on Thursday.
"Her visit is different this time compared to last time," said Nanda Kheda Bazar, a Congress worker in Lal Ganj Assembly segment.
He explains that the last time Gandhi had contested from this constituency as a bahu. But this time she is seen an embodiment of sacrifice, he says.
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief's spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh chips in to assert that people feel proud of her for sacrificing the post of prime minister in 2004 and now her resignation from the Lok Sabha in the wake of the office of profit controversy.
Singh claims that Gandhi's stature has gone up immensely as she has re-established certain values in public life. Eighty-year-old Mohan Lal, who has always voted for Congress, told a visiting PTI correspondent at Sarai Mubarakpur village that people have arranged special band parties to welcome her.
People in Rae Bareli Sadar Assembly segment said the reception for Gandhi would be on a greater scale than when she came here to file her nomination papers last month.
That time, they said the people welcomed her by standing almost all along the 80-km road from Lucknow to Rae Bareli. Eulogising the qualities of Gandhi, a poster behind an autorickshaw read, 'Sewa ko apna karm banaya, rajniti ko ek rah dikhaya (she has made service her duty and has given a new direction to politics)'.
Gandhi will tour all the Assembly segments of the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency during the two days.
On the first day, she will address election meetings in Saraini Satawan and Rae Bareli Sadar assembly segments and on the second day of her poll campaign, Gandhi will address public meetings in Dalmau and Bachrawan assembly segments before returning to Delhi, Singh added.
Complete coverage: Sonia Gandhi resigns
