Thousands of people, including UDF leaders and workers, turned up on Wednesday at Kalpetta here to welcome the incumbent MP Rahul Gandhi who arrived here to file his nomination papers for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Accompanied by his sister Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul landed at around 10.45 am on a helicopter from Kannur. They were greeted by hundreds of party workers and supporters at the helipad at Muppainad, a village here.