Amethi, Sep 2 (IANS): Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi turned 'brother' for several women and girls of a village here who tied rakhis to him and he promised to turn their dreams of development into a reality, a party spokesperson said Thursday.
Gandhi reached the Isauli village late Wednesday to meet and interact with the locals about their problems and difficulties.
"It was a surprise inspection. As the news of Rahul's arrival spread in the village, locals started coming out of their houses to meet their leader," Congress spokesperson in Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Pratap Singh told reporters here.
"He was approached by several women, who tied rakhis to him," the spokesperson said.
"Rahul assured them that he would make every effort for fulfilling their dreams pertaining to development in the village. He even asked the villagers to pledge that they would cooperate with him in turning their dreams into a reality," Singh added.
Most of the women asked Gandhi to set up a school in the village.
"There's no school in our village. We asked him to build one for the future of our children. He smiled and assured to extend all possible help in this regard," Ramlalli, a resident of Isauli village, told reporters Thursday.
Gandhi reached Amethi, his parliamentary constituency, Wednesday for a three-day visit.
He left for New Delhi for a few hours Thursday to meet his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi who will file a nomination for another term in office as party chief. He will be back here in the afternoon.
According to party officials, Gandhi would meet Youth Congress activists and attend public functions in Amethi later in the day.
The Congress leader also said at a public function that his party was making every effort so that the poor and the downtrodden could join the mainstream.
"Rahul was of the view that owing to non-seriousness of the state government, various public welfare schemes and other projects sponsored by the central government are not being implemented properly in Uttar Pradesh," Singh said.