Rahul joins austerity drive, takes train to Ludhiana

PEOPLE'S LEADER: Rahul travelled in an AC chair car of the Swarn Shatabdi Express.

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Ludhiana: Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi joined his party's austerity drive as he reached this industrial city of Punjab from New Delhi in an air-conditioned chair car of the Swarn Shatabdi Express on Tuesday, a day after party president Sonia Gandhi travelled economy class on a flight from New Delhi to Mumbai.

Rahul Gandhi made the four-hour journey from New Delhi to Ludhiana as an ordinary passenger, eschewing the executive class coach as part of the austerity drive announced by India's ruling Congress party in view of the drought situation in the country. He was accompanied by Special Protection Group personnel.

Amidst tight security, Rahul Gandhi boarded the coach at 6 a.m. at New Delhi railway station, railway officials said.

Other passengers on the C3 coach of the Shatabdi Express were amused to see the high profile Rahul Gandhi travelling with them.

The Congress leader reached Ludhiana for a training camp of Punjab Youth Congress workers. The workers will be trained to highlight achievements of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government -- in which the Congress is the major partner. The achievements that will be in focus are the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, loan waiver and other such measures taken by the Manmohan Singh government.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled return to New Delhi by the evening Shatabdi train in a similar coach.

Before the austerity measures came into place, the politician would have flown in a private helicopter as there is no direct flight between New Delhi and Ludhiana.

His mother and party president Sonia Gandhi on Monday flew economy class to Mumbai in a commercial airliner, joining a battery of ministers in an effort by the government to enforce austerity measures.

"In tough times such measures by Congress top leadership will set an example for others and youngsters to lead a simple and austere life, thinking of those who are less fortunate," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told IANS.

"If there is time... no problem in travelling by train. Even Rahul ji's father Rajiv ji used to travel a lot by train," he said.