Rahul reaches Telangana to meet farmers

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi reached Telangana on Thursday on a two-day visit to meet farmers.

In a last-minute change in the schedule announced earlier, he landed in Nanded in neighbouring Maharashtra instead of Hyderabad. He later left by road for Adilabad district in Telangana.

Party's Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy, working president Mallu Batti Vikramarka and other leaders received Gandhi at Nanded airport.

Gandhi will reach Nirmal town in Adilabad district and after a night halt, will leave for 'padyatra' to meet the farmers the next day.

He will console families of five farmers who committed suicide due to distress. He will cover five villages in his 12 km padyatra.

Hundreds of party workers will join Gandhi in the walkathon. The party expects 200 workers from each of 119 assembly constituencies in the state.

This is Gandhi's first visit to Telangana after formation of the separate state.

Meanwhile, ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has criticized Gandhi's visit, saying it was not for farmers but for the Congress leaders of the state.

TRS MP K.Kavita said it was not proper for the Congress to politicize farmers' issues. She said Telangana can't be compared with other states, where Rahul Gandhi undertook similar padyatra.

Kavita, who is daughter of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, said people of Telangana know which party was working for their welfare and development.