Rahul’s smiles do all the talking on separate Bundelkhand demand

“These people wanted their voice to reach Rahulji so we took their memorandum and gave it to him,” the district congress president of Jhansi,Sudhanshu Tripathi,told The Indian Express.

The Congress leaders also thanked Rahul for helping to get the special package for Bundelkhand and requested him to monitor the implementation of the package,especially their demand for setting up a central agriculture university in the region.

On Monday evening,Rahul visited a family of a backward caste in Koni Purva hamlet near Jhansi that has a majority of “kevat” (fishermen) population. He had dinner with Rekha Devi and her husband Dwarika Prasad Raikwar,who works as a labourer in Haryana. Rahul spent around one and half hour in the hutment of the family and enquired about various problems in the area. He also discussed various issues relating to caste,development,politics and livelihood with them.

Rekha,who also runs a self-help group,told Rahul that despite poverty she had studied till Class VIII.

“We were surprised to see him at our hut. He not only discussed caste politics here with us but also ate dal made of arhad and some rotis with us,” said Rekha’s husband Dwarika.

“We are basically fishermen community and told him that the nearest river here is Betwa. Though we had earlier some ponds nearby but they have been encroached by powerful men. He mainly listened to us and did not react much,” he added.

In the morning,Rahul left for his constituency Amethi where he met the candidates for the upcoming Legislative Council elections from Rae Bareli and Sultanpur,along with some other party leaders from the two districts.

Rahul discussed the preparations for the elections,which are due on January 7.

He told party workers and leaders to keep their differences aside and work united for the victory of party candidates.

After the meeting,Rahul went to Amehmasi village in Behtua block and met members of a women’s self-help group. He also visited the house of an ex-MLA from Gauriganj Rajpati Devi to condole the death of her grandson. Rahul continued with his surprise visits to the villages till late evening.