In his first public appearance since returning from nearly two months of leave, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi met farmers from different north Indian States in his house here on Saturday. The meeting was a part of the attempts by the Congress to bring public attention back to its anti-Land Bill agitation, ahead of its much-touted farmers’ rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.
The party flaunted a full house, with a number of senior and mid-rung leaders, at the launch of a website, zameenwapsi.com, at the AICC headquarters. The website was launched by party leaders A.K. Antony, Digvijaya Singh and Jairam Ramesh in the presence of leaders including Randeep Surjewala, R.P.N. Singh and Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
A source close to Mr. Gandhi said the Congress was keen on focussing the people’s attention on the agitation against the NDA’s land ordinance rather than on infighting within the party or the vice-president’s protracted absence. He said the party would showcase a united front at the rally on Sunday.
Leadership issueIn an interview to The Hindu on March 27, Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Capt. Amarinder Singh, said Sonia Gandhi should continue as party president, while Mr. Gandhi should learn from her. Capt. Singh’s remarks caused a stir in party circles. Two days ago, former MP Sandeep Dikshit said a leadership change would delay the party’s revival. Former Minister Milind Deora tweeted on Friday that the party should value experience and welcome generational change. Mr. Deora, a close associate of Mr. Gandhi, tried to tread the middle path at a time when the party has been perceived as divided between the old guard resisting change and the young leaders pressing for it.
The party is eyeing chances of a revival based on agitational politics against the NDA government through a sustained campaign to show the government as anti-farmer and pro-corporate. The BJP has already launched a campaign to project itself as pro-farmer.
Party sources said Mr. Gandhi met “a few thousand farmers from across the northern States at his residence.” Apart from the damage to crops due to unseasonal rain and issues of compensation, farmers spoke about problems relating to procurement and acquisition.
