Lalitpur (Uttar Pradesh) : Determined to put the Congress back in the reckoning despite adverse opinion polls, its star campaigner Rahul Gandhi Monday wooed hundreds of thousands in the country's most populous state by asking them to rise above caste and religion when they vote during staggered assembly elections beginning Saturday.

Striking a personal rapport with the massive crowds on the streets, the son of Congress president Sonia Gandhi roared in Lalitpur, in the southern tip of Uttar Pradesh: "Rise above caste and creed, then only the society can develop in the true sense."

The crowds cheered him, perhaps happy because he was saying something they did want to hear.

It was the opening day of Rahul's second three-day road show in the state, where the 37-year-old was busy throwing his charms in his bid to put a badly derailed Congress back on the rails.

The scion of India's first political family arrived here to a rousing reception from cheering crowds, whose hearts he seemed to have truly won with his affable mannerisms and one-to-one interaction.

Clad in a spotless white kurta pyjama, Rahul went about mingling freely with the crowds, inquiring about their problems and even suggesting ways and means to tide over them.

Cries of "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad!" (Long live Rahul Gandhi!) and "Rahul tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hain!" (Rahul you lead the struggle, we are with you!) were raised as people showered rose and marigold petals on him.

What amazed all and sundry was the unusually large turnout of people on every road and thoroughfare that Rahul's motorcade passed through, considering that Bundelkhand region where Lalitpur is located is a Samajwadi Party stronghold.

Gandhi, who represents Amethi in the Lok Sabha, addressed a series of roadside meetings in different localities and also on the city's outskirts.

All roads in Lalitpur were jam packed during Rahul's presence in the district. Standing on both sides of the road, people waited anxiously for a glimpse of the ever-smiling Congress icon.

People converging from remote corners of the district seemed to evince keen interest in Rahul.

"I have come all the way from my village about 28 km away to see him from close quarters," said 68-year-old Mansukh. "He is different from the other leaders and displays the will to change the face of Uttar Pradesh."

Rahul would undertake similar tours of Jhansi, Kanpur and Agra over the next two days. Balloting in these places is due Saturday in the first of seven phases.

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