Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was accorded a warm welcome at the airport here by party leaders, workers and supporters when he arrived on a two-day visit to the State.PCC president Jayadev Jena, AICC Odisha in-charge BK Hariprasad and leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh in Assembly were among those who welcomed the Gandhi scion.
Gandhi, who headed straight for Bhatpada near Salepur in Cuttack district to address a public meeting, held road shows along the way. large numbers of people waited on roadsides to have a glimpse of the leader at the Medical Square, Raj Bhavan Square, Kalpana Square and Rasulgarh Square in Bhubaneswar.
At Pira Bazar near Cuttack, he was received by a huge crowd along with local Congress leaders like Mohd Moqim. People also lined up along the Cuttack-Salepur road to greet him.
Security men had a tough time handling the crowd in Cuttack city as hundreds of people with flower bouquets and garlands surged to Gandhi. At places, he obliged people by coming out of
his car and shaking hands with women and children and receiving flowers from them.
Roads were kept free of other vehicles for Gandhi’s motorcade consisting of 40 cars packed with security men and senior Congress leaders.