LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was shown black flags by Samajwadi Party supporters at Phulpur in Allahabad where Congress is holding a rally to kickstart its campaign for 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Supporters of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare also assembled outside the rally venue and raised slogans against Rahul Gandhi and in support of Anna.

SP activists also blocked the rail route in Allahabad and burnt effigies of the Congress general secretary. The party has raised the issues of price rice and corruption and has described Rahul's concern for poor in UP as "shedding crocodile tears".

Black flags were shown to Rahul when his helicopter was about to land at the rally venue. A handful of SP workers managed to sneak in after breaking the security cordon and waved black flags while shouting "Rahul go back".

Senior Congress leaders and a union minister who came to receive Rahul, thrashed the activists. Later police took the workers in custody.

SP state president Akhilesh Yadav had announced on Sunday that his party will show Rahul a mirror. He had said that Rahul should first take steps to check spiraling inflation and scams under Congress-led UPA government. He had also said that SP, which had been giving outside support to UPA government, will not save the central government in Parliament over price rise issue. Akhilesh Yadav's father and SP chief Mulayam has supported the statement.