Rahul Gandhi to meet farmers tomorrow

Will hear their views on the changes being brought in the UPA's land law by Modi govt

Back after his sabbatical, Rahul Gandhi will be meeting delegations of farmers from different states tomorrow and hear their views on the changes being brought in the UPA's land law by the Narendra Modi government.

Rahul's meeting with farmers will be held a day before the Congress' 'kisan-khet mazdoor' rally on Sunday to galvanise protests against NDA's land acquisition law.

Sources said Gandhi accompanied by some senior Congress leaders including Jairam Ramesh and Digvijay Singh will meet members of various farmer organisations from states like UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.

The delegation will include farmers from Bhatta Parsaul village from where Rahul had launched a 'padyatra' in 2011 against forcible land acquisition of farmers, a protest that had culminated in passage of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

The party has already made it clear that the Congress Vice President will address the rally of farmers along with party President Sonia Gandhi.

The rally is being seen as a sort of a comeback announcement of Rahul and a show of strength by the party, which has been strongly opposing changes in the original Act.

Congress is hoping to rally people from various parts of the country with the 'Chalo Dilli Chale' slogan which will be seen on hoardings and heard on FM radio channels on which it has booked spots.

A 17-coach 'Kisan Express' train carrying farmers will leave from Jaipur and arrive at Delhi after six stops on the rally day.

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who is convenor of the committee to chalk out plans for organising the rally, today huddled with AICC secretaries to assess the preparations for the rally. State leaders have been directed to ensure that the rally has full attendance.

The Congress Vice President will also be visiting his Parliamentary constituency Amethi after the April 19 rally.

Sources in the party maintain that a clarity will soon emerge on decisions, which were pending for some time like holding a meeting of the Congress Working Committee and AICC meeting, where a number of key decisions are to be taken.