Sidelights

l In Rahul Gandhi’s rallies special importance was accorded to the Youth Congress leaders as they were allowed to share the main dais with him while the local MLAs had to sit with the crowd. The state president of Himachal Youth Congress Manmohan Katoch hogged the limelight at Rehan rally.
l In the rallies the contesting candidates of Congress Narinder Thakur from Hamirpur and Chander Kumar from Kangra also stood by Rahul Gandhi. However, due to shortage of time they did not address the crowd in rallies.
l The former Himachal minister and senior Congress leader presented an album of his memoirs with the Gandhi family to Rahul Gandhi. He also presented him the herbal tea produced locally and honey. He told The Tribune that Indira Gandhi once told him that her children were very fond of honey.
l The craze among the locals to see the next generation of Gandhi family scion was overwhelming than all other issues.
l Four helicopters were used by the Congress for the rally, including one each by Anand Sharma and Kaul Singh and two by Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders