Smriti Irani to hold 'Kisan Panchayats' in Amethi

Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani is on a day-long visit to Amethi on Tuesday, the parliamentary constituency of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, party leaders said.

Irani unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Amethi but gave the Gandhi scion a run for his money.

Having promised to "stay in touch", Irani has been meeting people from Amethi in New Delhi on a regular basis, a senior BJP leader told IANS while saying that during her Tuesday visit, the minister would be addressing 'Kisan Panchayat' at all blocks in the district.

She will be accompanied by union Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Baliyan.

Local leaders said that while the visit is largely to "dispel doubts" created by the Congress in the mind of farmers about the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's policies, sources said Irani is "leaving no stone unturned to cultivate goodwill for herself and the party" in the Gandhi bastion.

Rahul Gandhi is slated to visit Amethi on May 18.

On a two-day tour to the family pocketborough, Rahul will meet local party leaders, workers and also interact with the farmers and apprise them of the anti-farmer policies of the Modi-led central government.

He is likely to take up issues like the land acquisition bill and compensation to farmers after the unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm destroyed crops in most parts of the state.