Amritsar, September 24, : Popular for his jibes on political opponents, former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu of the Bharatiya Janta Party on Wednesday hailed Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi''s visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

"Rahul Gandhi is a leader of the Congress Party. It felt nice that he visited the Sri Amritsar Sahib. I welcome this gesture. This place, in philosophy, always seeks "Sarbat Da Bhala" (welfare of all). He paid obeisance and bowed before the almighty here. It felt good. I wish him all the best," said Sidhu, a Member of Parliament from Amritsar .

Though, Rahul Gandhi had to give up his visit to Amritsar following a scheduling problem, he sent across a special gesture to the Sikh community here by spending about
30 minutes at the Golden Temple.

During the Punjab visit Rahul Gandhi has met some youngsters and motivated them to join Indian National Congress.

Political analytics opined that Rahul''s visit to the State would certainly have its impact in the coming Parliamentary elections.

On Tuesday, Gandhi visited Gurdaspur, where he was given a warm welcome.

During his Punjab tour, Rahul ensured that he met youngsters with a smiling face and a firm handshake. The Congress leader was greeted with garlands of flowers and saffron "Siropa" (a Sikh''s traditional rob of honour).

Congress workers and several youngsters shouted slogans hailing his visit saying—Rahul Gandhi Zindabad (Long live Rahul Gandhi) and praises of Congress party in Gurdaspur.

Rahul also attended a "Women Convention" where nearly 5,000 women Congress workers participated. Yogita Nandrurkar, Punjab youth congress leader, organized the programme. Media was kept out of the convention.

Harpal Bhatia, a senior youth leader of Congress, said Rahul Gandhi''s gesture of paying obeisance at Golden Temple really touched the hearts of the youths of Punjab.

He claimed that wherever Rahul visits in Punjab he has been welcomed with warm heart and with hospitality. Kanwel Preet Singh Kaku, a Youth Congress activist, hoped that Gandhi''s visit would boost the ongoing recruitment drive in Youth Congress in Punjab.

Terming Rahul''s visit as historical, Partap Singh Bajwa, a former Punjab ''s PWD minister, said that it would certainly help in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Besides other senior leaders of Punjab Congress, Rahul was accompanied by Ashok Tanwar, President of the All India Youth Congress and Vijay Inder Singla, the President of the Punjab Youth Congress. (ANI)