Varanasi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (Feb 19, 2004) stormed Eastern Uttar Pradesh on the third leg of her road-show campaign this month attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government for the "ills" of the country.

Addressing a series of corner meetings, Gandhi appealed to the people to vote for the Congress to ensure all-round development of the country.

"No one is happy with the policies of the NDA Government, which is to be blamed for the problems confronting the country," she said to cheering crowds, which had gathered to greet her at different places in the Varanasi district.

"Congress ko jitayen aur desh ko bachayen (support the Congress and save the country)," was the slogan she repeated at almost all her meetings.

Earlier, the Congress chief arrived at the Babatpur airport around 10:30 hours (IST) to a rousing reception by thousands of party supporters.

People lined up on both sides of the road to cheer Gandhi as her cavalcade passed by.

In a touching gesture, Gandhi suddenly stopped her vehicle and went to a woman labourer working in a field, sat besides her and inquired about her well-being.

Gandhi was accompanied by State party in-charge Chaudhary Virendra Singh, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Jagadambika Pal, senior party leaders Sanjay Singh, Salman Khurshid and Arun Kumar Singh Munna.