Rediff.com's Sharat Pradhan reports from Amethi, which went to the polls today, in phase three of the UP elections.

Polling began at the Ram Nagar Primary School polling centre this morning at precisely 7 am, but nobody cast their vote. They were waiting for a 72-year-old dhobi, Pancham Lal , who is accorded VIP  status on all polling days. It is only after Pancham Lal casts his vote that the rest of Amethi follows. After the dhobi, his wife Chandrakala gets to cast the second vote.

"I have  enjoyed this privilege ever since I was entitled to vote many many years ago', Pancham Lal said.

Even Amethi's former prince and now Sultanpur Congress MP, Sanjay Singh, made it a point to give way to the dhobi, the third to cast his vote, followed by his wife Amita Singh.

Amethi remains a prestige issue for the Congress, that has held this seat for decades. Sanjay Gandhi was the first to contest from here in 1975 and 1977, followd by Rajiv Gandhi in 1981.

Soon after Rajiv's death it was his pilot friend Satish Sharma who took the baton from here. Thereafter, Sonia Gandhi got elected from here until she handed over the constituency to Rahul Gandhi in 2002.