Lalganj, Tuesday, October 14, 2008: Openly challenging UP Chief Minister Mayawati for trying to prevent her entry into Rai Bareli on Tuesday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that no one can stop her from ‘coming home’. Rai Bareli is my karmabhoomi and I am ready to go to jail to protect its interests, an unusually combatant Sonia said, after defying prohibitory orders to enter the city with her supporters.

The development came even as Sonia’s public rally, scheduled for today, was cancelled in the wake of Section 144 being in force in the district.

Earlier, Mayawati had diverted Sonia’s route to Rae Bareli, but the Congress president, to prove a point, reached the town via the scheduled route.

Rae Bareli and Amethi were the karmabhoomi of Feroze, Rajiv and Indira Gandhi and now is my and Rahul’s karmabhoomi, quipped Sonia. On the rail coach factory land allotment controversy, she said, It’s not right to comment on the issue as it is sub-judice.

Sonia added that she came here to take part in a joyous occasion but it was not to be. Taking a dig at the UP government, she said that several projects have been cleared by the Centre and all the obstacles are being created by the state government.