Childhood pranks of Rahul Gandhi is helping boost his political debut in the Congress bastion where people look at him as a favourite family member than as an aspiring legislator.
"I'll tell you why I'll vote for Rahul Gandhi," begins Satyapriya Arya, sitting in his roadside eatery on the Amethi-Lucknow highway."Because as a boy, he used to tell me to catch tadpoles and put them on people's feet at his father's election rallies."
Gandhi's merry antics as he accompanied his father, late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, as a toddler are subjects of fond recollection and laugh in this two- million-strong constituency that has voted Congress 10 times, five of which have been for Gandhi family legislators.
"I remember playing with Rahul Gandhi," says Srilata, staring wishfully as the young leader told crowds that Amethi was his second home.
"Once he chased a boy with a stick, round and round the rally area, and from the podium Rajiv Gandhi, who could see it all, seemed quite irritated."
Everyone in the constituency seems to have a tale to tell about Gandhi whose 150-km-a-day campaign has already taken a toll as he came down with viral fever.
{{/usCountry}}Everyone in the constituency seems to have a tale to tell about Gandhi whose 150-km-a-day campaign has already taken a toll as he came down with viral fever.
{{/usCountry}}"Rahul Gandhi was a mischievous kid, very sweet and sometimes quite funny," said Raghubir, his white, grizzly moustache flopping a little in the afternoon breeze."I think he used to like sticks and marbles quite a lot and was always playing with them."
What the people seem to remember the most is the natural charm of the Gandhi members which has passed from generation to generation.
"Even then, the way Rajiv Gandhi spoke to us, the way he let his son, the prime minister's son, play with village boys, it was magical," said shopkeeper Kishen Lal, pulling out dusty bottles of Coke, assuring they are original.
"You know how it is, the city people never care for the village people; they think we are too illiterate and dirty. And there used to be the prime minister's son asking village boys how to hit marbles as his father gave speeches.The prime minister's son!" he looks into the horizon."Imagine!"
That's why when Rahul Gandhi,a graduate from Trinity College, Cambridge, says he is one of them - they believe.
"We all remember him, all of us who loved seeing and hearing his father," said Ganjuma, a shrivelled old woman who works as a sweeper. "It is such a pity Rajiv Gandhi is no longer with us. He would have been so proud to see his son here."