All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice-president Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Telangana again later this month to interact with the students of Osmania University here and Kakatiya University at Warangal, besides addressing the party ranks ahead of the GHMC elections. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said here after an extended executive committee meeting of the party on Sunday that Mr. Gandhi was expected to take up a ‘padayatra’ in Anantapur district to console the families of farmers who had committed suicide due to distress caused by debt. It was being planned to invite him to Telangana too during that visit.
If materialised, the AICC vice-president would visit the State on June 29 and 30, Mr. Reddy said. Anantapur Staff Reporter adds: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, N. Raghuveera Reddy said that while the tour of Mr. Gandhi is confirmed, the exact dates have not yet been finalised. “We have sent a tentative schedule to Delhi. It includes meetings with families of farmers and weavers, culminating in a public meeting,” he said.
According to the tentative tour schedule, Mr. Gandhi is expected to land at Bengaluru and travel to Obuladevara Cheruvu village in Anantapur district to meet the family of Mr. Harinath Reddy, who committed suicide recently despite owning 18 acres of land. Mr Gandhi is then expected to meet villagers en route to the Nallamada mandal headquarters.
The Obuladevara Cheruvu and Nallamada mandals are beset with acute drought, six years of crop losses, perennial drinking water scarcity, acute fluorosis, mass migration and human trafficking. Mr Gandhi is expected to address a public meeting at Nallamada village.
