Meetings with people, partymen mark Rahul’s Rae Bareli visit

LUCKNOW After his mammoth victory from his family turf Rae Bareli, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday returned to his constituency, this time also as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha.

Although he was in Rae Bareli on a thanksgiving visit on June 10, 2024, (following which he decided to retain his mother’s (Rae Bareli) constituency and leave Wayanad for his sister), this was his first direct interaction (as Rae Bareli MP) with the people or partymen to get feedback about the problems there.

As Wayanad MP though, he visited both Rae Bareli and Amethi more than once and continued to maintain his connection with the people and the partymen.

A day’s visit to his constituency on Tuesday was to reaffirm his family’s relationship with the region. In his 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, he consistently reminded the people of his family’s more than 100-year-old relationship with the people tracing back to the farmers’ agitation of Rae Bareli in 1920-21 and visits of Motilal Nehru and Jawaharlal Nehru to the region.

Besides paying tribute at the Shaheed Smarak (farmers’ memorial), he also visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rae Bareli. The Congress leader went to the OPD and wards there to know about the condition of patients. He also met students there. Executive director, AIIMS, Arvind Rajvanshi accompanied Rahul Gandhi.

Various delegations of doctors, advocates, traders and entrepreneurs met the Congress leader at the Bhuemau Guest House and apprised him of their problems.

A delegation of Baiswara Club led by Sunil Singh Bhadauria informed him of the incomplete rail overbridge (ROB) at Lalganj in the constituency. There was an interaction with the Congress workers and the candidates who contested 2022 UP assembly election on Congress tickets.

“Yes, Rahul Gandhi interacted with us. Besides the Congress candidates of five assembly constituencies of Rae Bareli, the party’s candidates from two assembly constituencies of Amethi, including Jagdishpur, also attended the interaction,” said Sushil Pasi who contested 2022 UP assembly election on a Congress ticket.

Everybody said the issues like caste census raised by Rahul Gandhi in 2024 Lok Sabha elections touched the people. We requested him to take this issue further and he has agreed to do so,” he added. Pasi said Amethi MP KL Sharma was also present when Rahul Gandhi met the party’s 2022 assembly election candidates.

“Rahul Gandhi asked the partymen to strengthen the organisation. Various delegations discussed with him the issues of rising inflation and the problems of youth like unemployment,” said Rae Bareli Congress president Pankaj Tiwari.

He has asked us to work for the cause of the people. It was also pointed out to him how the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita may not bring about justice to the people and how the traders have been affected by the GST,” Tiwari added.

He also planted a sapling to give a boost to Rajiv Gandhi plantation campaign. Besides, the Congress leader met parents of the late Captain Anshuman Singh who died in July 2023 Siachen fire, showing exceptional bravery and saving three lives.

He was awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously by President Droupadi Murmu recently. On way from Lucknow to Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi performed ‘puja’ at the Hanuman temple at Churwa, Rae Bareli. Captain Anshuman Singh’s father RP Singh said he along with his wife went to Rae Bareli (from Lucknow) to meet Rahul Gandhi and enquired about the incident in which his son laid down his life.

“Rahul Gandhi said he could feel the pain of the family as he himself had lost his father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother late Indira Gandhi,” said Singh.

Captain Anshuman Singh’s mother, while speaking to media persons, said, “We had interaction about the Agniveer scheme too. I feel there should not be two categories (of soldiers) in the Army. Four-year term for Agniveer is also not good.”

Meanwhile, a poster war was also witnessed in the constituency. Some posters questioned Rahul Gandhi for his statement in Parliament about Hindus and violence that the Congress claims has been twisted by the BJP.