Smriti Irani addresses a public rally in Dhubri on Wednesday. Picture by Bijoy Sharma

Dhubri, April 5: It was a homecoming of sorts for BJP leader and TV star Smriti Irani when she landed here this morning.

The star campaigner of BJP, better known as Tulsi for her role in the popular TV serial Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi headed straight for her ancestral home after landing at the Dhubri district sports complex.

Smriti is the maternal great grand-daughter of Kamakhya Sanyal of Dhubri. She spent some time with her grandmother Agomoni Sanyal and other family members. Her grandmother was overjoyed when Smriti came and spent some time with them.

?Till yesterday, we saw her on TV and heard her voice over the telephone but today I get to see her in person,? Agomoni Sanyal said. She enjoyed every moment spent here... We prepared lunch for her but she could not eat due to the crowd inside the house but promised to share a meal with us the next time,? Sanyal said.

Though this was the TV star?s first visit to her home, Smriti had maintains close relations with her family. Her grandmother said Smriti had constantly kept in touch with them. ?She very often talks to us over phone and inquires about us. She had promised us that she would visit her great-grandfather?s house if she ever visited Assam and by visiting our house today she has kept her promise,? Sanyal added.

?We have told Smriti to do something about the shortage in drinking water supply and frequent power cuts in Dhubri town,? Agomoni said.

Smriti while addressing a mammoth gathering here at Raja Prabhat Chandra Baruah Maidan categorically mentioned that she has a close kinship with Assam.

?Aami Dhubrir natni, aaj pratham bar aami dadur barite giye chilam. Okhane aamar mama (Dr. Debomoy Sanyal) bollen je Dhubrite khawar joler ebong light-er bhisan asubidhe (I am the great-granddaughter of Dhubri and today for the first time I paid a visit to my ancestral home. My uncle told me that there is scarcity of drinking water and electricity here),? Smriti said.

She lambasted the Congress government and appealed to all to vote for BJP candidate Dhruba Kumar Sen to put an end to their woes.