He came here to make an impact and at the moment it seems as though he is achieving it. General secretary of the All India Congress Committee Rahul Gandhi [Images], who is in Karnataka on a five-day visit, has inspired almost the whole of two hamlets to go the Congress way.

Picture this. 80 per cent of the residents of the Muttkgada Gadde and Hosapadu tribal hamlets in B R Hills are today active Congress members.

All this in a matter of just two hours. The drive commenced a few hours before Rahul came to these hamlets.

By the time he arrived there were almost 1,400 active Congress members in these two hamlets, which have 2,000 people.

The only criteria for enrolment was the age factor. The Congress identified all persons above the age of 18 and convinced them to enroll in the party.

At the end of it, it was not too much of a hassle. Some enrolled by signing on the forms while for the rest it was a thumb impression.

The tribals agreed only because Rahul had come to their hamlets and they claim that no big leader in the past had visited them.

According to Krihna Byre Gowda, president of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee, they expect many more enrolments in the future.

Several booths have been set up across the state to lure people into joining the party, he told rediff.com.

Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee secretary, Mysore, Shaira Bhanu told rediff.com that they have covered all persons above the age of 18 during this drive.

Madappa, a high school drop explains how he joined the party.

"I filled my name, father's name, whether I had telephone at home or not, my education and my hamlet's name. Dropped the form in the box and I was a member after that," Madappa said.