Will play strong Oppn: Rahul

Accompanied by sister Priyanka Gandhi, he told party workers: “Main janata ke liye ladunga…Hum sashakta vipaksh ki bhumika nibhayenge.. Jahan janata ki nahi suni gayi, toh aag laga denge. (I will fight for the public… We will play the role of a strong Opposition… If people are not heard, we will protest strongly). “

They thanked workers for electing Congress in Amethi and Rae Bareli.
Rahul said: “Irrespective of the results in Uttar Pradesh, we are thankful that people of Amethi and Rae Bareli stood by us. We would also stand by them in all their needs.”

Workers said they wanted to discuss the poll results and the decreased victory margin, Priyanka, who had campaigned for Rahul, told workers she would return in a week to review poll results.

They visited Baraulia village of Gauriganj, where 65 huts were burnt in a fire on May 19. Rahul and Priyanka distributed clothes, utensils, food items (like 10 kg atta), soaps, etc. from a tent built by the Congress workers.

On the other hand, local SP MLA Rakesh Singh distributed “relief cheques” on behalf of the state government in a tent erected by the district administration close to the Congress’s tent. The cheques were of Rs 20,300 for completely burnt huts, Rs 8,800 for partially burnt houses and Rs 6000 for lesser damages.

“It is good that they (Congress) have distributed relief materials. But they should not have done politics over it and should have rather distributed relief materials from the tent established by the district administration. Almost an hour after they left, their tent has been dismantled,” Rakesh Singh told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, Rahul and Priyanka, along with their team, visited burnt huts. “Rahul ji yahan aa kar dekhiye,” said a 60- year-old Raj Kali and took Rahul to her hut. “My son’s marriage is on June 20 and his ‘tilak’ was scheduled for June 11. Who will give his daughter to a homeless now,” said Rajkali in tears. Her son, Rakesh, who is to be married, said, “While Congress leaders have given us clothes and the state government a Rs 20,300 cheque, nothing can be done with this amount.”
Priyanka assured the villagers that she would try and get their houses built under the Indira Awas Yojana.