VARANASI: Congress workers in Kashi are gearing up to accord a colourful and festive welcome to Gandhi scion and AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as she arrives in the land of Lord Shiva on her first election campaign after entering active politics on March 20.The partymen plan to celebrate Holi with Priyanka as she launches her poll campaign in Kashi a day before the festival. Congressmen have started stocking herbal gulal and rose petals to greet her. There would be a splash of political colours, too, as Priyanka would target Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his turf, particularly over Ganga pollution and Kashi Vishwanath corridor.Traditionally, the festival of colours begins in Kashi from Rangbhari Ekadashi, four days in advance, when devotees play Holi with the presiding deity of the city. But, this time it will be a special Holi celebration for Congressmen who plan to shower herbal colour and rose petals on Priyanka. They have also organised a Holi Milan programme to celebrate the festival with her.“It will be purely herbal Holi for Priyanka ji. We have arranged herbal gulal as well as rose petals to welcome her in Kashi,” said Congress spokesperson Shailendra Singh. “Congress workers are in high spirits. More than a tonne of petals have been arranged for the occasion. The Holi Milan programme would be held at some spacious location,” he added.“We have identified a venue in Piplani Katra area that can accommodate sufficient number of people in Holi Milan. All necessary arrangements have been made, and Congressmen are eagerly waiting to welcome Priyanka ji whose visit would energize the Congress cadre in the region,” said former MLA Ajay Rai, who had unsuccessfully contested against Modi in 2014 from Varanasi.

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