Thursday, May 11 2006 16:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Rae Bareli: Buoyed by the huge victory of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her children Rahul and Priyanka today (May 11, 2006) thanked the people of Rae Bareli for the resounding victory of their mother in the Parliamentary bypolls.

"I thank the people of Rae Bareli," a gulal-smeared Rahul said leading a victory procession through the township after Sonia Gadnhi's win by a margin of over four lakh votes.

Joining in the celebrations, Priyanka Vadra, who was the Congress chief's poll agent for the bypoll said she was really, really happy and thanked the people of Rae Bareli for the massive victory.

Sonia Gandhi defeated her nearest rival Raj Kumar Chowdhury of the Samajwadi Party by a margin of 4,17,888 votes.

Chowdhury secured 57,003 votes while BJP's Vinay Katiyar was a distant third with 19,657 votes and had to forfeit his deposit.

"I concentrated on the work given to me. I did not focus on what the margin would be. My mother had given me a job and my only focus was to get the job done," said Rahul, flanked by sister Priyanka and brother-in-law Robert Vadra.

"I am just really, really happy. I thank the people of Rae Bareli. I have always had faith in them," Priyanka said.

She said her brother had really worked very hard duringthe campaign and had done a great job.

"I don't think there was any nervousness at any point in time we depended on party workers and the people of Rae Bareli and we came through," Rahul said when asked about the presence of over 20 Samajwadi Party ministers and MPs in Rae Bareli during the poll campaign.

On the role of the sibling factor, the Amethi MP said "In my immediate family there is no sibling factor. We are always one. We have always been one. We will always be one."

On Priyanka joining the campaign, he said "I respect her wishes. I would have liked her to come and share some of the rides, but she sent her husband instead."