Gorakhpur: Kicking off her party campaign in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today (Feb 9, 2004) embarked on a three-day tour of Gorakhpur and Basti areas to boost the party's prospects in the coming Lok Sabha polls in the key State.

The AICC (All India Congress Committee) chief, who arrived this morning, drove to Padleyganj and garlanded the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Accompanied by senior party leaders, including the UPCC (Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee) President Jagadambika Pal, Gandhi later proceeded towards Kauriram, about 30 kilometres from Gorakhpur.

The road show is being viewed as an attempt to boost the party's prospects in the crucial State where it has lost considerable ground during the previous elections.

During her three-day campaign, Gandhi would cover 11 Parliamentary constituencies and interact with the local people.

Earlier, she had visited the western region of the state comprising districts of Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bulandshahar and Saharanpur.