Raebareli, 29 April

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi handed over solar-powered carts to the underprivileged in Raebareli as he kickstarted a two-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency of Rae Bareli and the adjoining Amethi.

He is scheduled to visit Amethi on Wednesday.

The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha landed at the Lucknow airport in the morning to a grand welcome by state Congress chief Ajay Rai, Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma and other leaders. He then travelled to Rae Bareli by road.

In Rae Bareli, Gandhi inaugurated a 2 MW solar roof plant and electric charging station at Visaka Industries. He also handed over around a dozen solar-powered carts donated by an NGO to the underprivileged at the occasion.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) has a long-standing relationship with Uttar Pradesh. The Gandhis have familial ties with the Raebareli-Amethi region," Rai told PTI.

Gandhi's visit comes within days of the Congress' 'Samvidhan Bachao' (Save Constitution) rally in the Basti. At the rally, party leaders had claimed that the Constitution was under threat under the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.