Rahul Gandhi treks 20 km foot path to reach Tirumala

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday trekked the holy seven hills on foot to reach Tirumala the abode of Lord Venkateswara.

Rahul who reached Alipiri at about 11.30 in the morning set out on climbing the serpentine footpath and briskly and with ease mounted the steep footsteps even as the party activists accompanying him struggling hard to keep face with him.

Raihan Vadra who accompanied his maternal uncle on his Tirumala padayatra drew the attention of all following Rahul. Pilgrims who are going on the pedestrian path to Tirumala were in surprise to see the Congress party climbing the hills.

The security personnel had a tough time all along the footpath route to restrain the pilgrims trekking the hills who are eager to come close with Rahul to greet him. Rahul at many places stopped for a while to wish the pilgrims and had a chat.

Earlier Rahul arrived from Delhi by a special flight and immediately drove straight to Alipiri, the foot of the hills to go to Tirumala on foot.

Senior leaders including state party in-charge Osment Chandigarh, Senior Congress leaders Chinta Mohan, former CM Naidu Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC president Raghuveera Reddy and a host of others reached Tirumala by road after seeing off Rahul at Alipiri.

Elaborate security arrangements were made all the pedestrian path to Tirumala, Tirupati and also, at the airport in view Congress party president visit to the pilgrim city to participate in the party programme to reassure it's the commitment to special category status to Andhra Pradesh.