The party is going all out to woo back the town that houses the ancestral home of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's husband Feroze.

"This house belonged to Feroze Gandhi's ancestors. Indira and Feroze Gandhi had visited this place soon after their marriage," says 68-year old Tehmurasp Vimadalal, the present owner of the 3,000 sq ft house in Kotpariwad, the city's Parsi neighbourhood.

Feroze spent a part of his childhood in this house, which belonged to his grandfather, Vimadalal added.

Bharuch district with a population of around 24 lakhs had been a Congress stronghold in the 80s. However, the party lost its hold over the district managing to retain only one of the five constituencies in the last elections.

Party president Sonia Gandhi is now trying to revert the trend and helping her is senior leader Ahmed Patel whose native place Piraman is also in the district.

Two private helipads have been constructed that will be used during campaigning and the state Congress has lined up a galaxy of star campaigners for Bharuch.

"Madam Sonia Gandhi will be addressing a gathering here. Rahul Gandhi will also hold a road show," said Bharuch district Congress committee's spokesperson Nazu Tadwala.

The other star campaigners who will descend in Bharuch include young turks like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Govinda and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

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