New Delhi, July 23 (IANS): Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday flagged off a three-day bus yatra to Uttar Pradesh as part of the party's preparations for the state assembly elections early next year.

The bus yatra, titled '27 saal, UP behal' (No progress in UP for 27 years), was flagged off from the party headquarters here. It will travel through Ghaziabad, Hapur, Amroha and Moradabad on the first day and halt at Moradabad for the night.

Over the next two days, the bus will travel through Rampur, Bareilly, Hardoi, Kannauj and end at Kanpur.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, party's chief ministerial candidate in the state Sheila Dikhit, state Congress chief Raj Babbar and party's in-charge of the state Ghulam Nabi Azad were among those present at the flag off.

"As we start our '27 Saal, UP Behal Yatra', I seek your support and blessings," Dikshit said.

Azad, Babbar and Dikshit will address public rallies at different places along the journey to Kanpur.

The bus will touch 90 assembly segments in the state and is part of the Congress' efforts to boost its prospects in the state where it has been out of power for almost three decades.

The party could win only two of the 80 seats in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. 

The bus yatra is the second major electoral effort by the party in the state this month. The party held a road show earlier this week in Lucknow.

The three senior leaders are joined by UP Congress leaders Pramod Tiwari, Meem Afzal, and P.L. Punia.