Break journey, make friends

On the final leg of her campaign in the state, Sonia began the day by garlanding a portrait of Rajiv gandhi at the Somajiguda Centre. She then made at least 15 random halts to speak to people before reaching Bhongir in Nalgonda district.

On the way from Annojiguda, she came across a few Lambada women engaged in the road works. She walked up to them and enquired about the wages and living conditions. ‘‘Do you have shelter and power facility?’’ They did but got bills between Rs 150 and Rs 200 per month for using one bulb. Former CLP leader Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who played translator, told her the Congress’ promise of free power to those who use only a bulb.

Sonia’s campaign cut across both eastern and western parts of the state, with stops at several villages. Clad in a handloom cotton saree, Gandhi moved across the city under SPG cover, but nevertheless unhindered. At Marthadu village on Wednesday, Sonia called on the families of six farmers, who had committed suicide due to financial problems. She addressed a public meeting at Nandyal in Kurnool. ‘‘I know you have been suffering because of lack of irrigation facilities. In some villages, there is problem of drinking water too,’’ she said. She later breached protocol and walked to the enclosure and met the women in the crowd. As hundreds of people began to break the barricades, SPG personnel whisked her away to a waiting chopper.

On Day Two, the focus shifted to the backward Telangana. ‘‘Injustice has been done to the Telangana region. I understand your feelings and sentiments. The Congress will take steps for the development of the Telangana districts,’’ she told the crowd at Karimnagar. ‘‘During nine years of TDP rule, there was no development,’’ Sonia said.

‘‘The BJP, which came to power on the promise of providing a stable government, has become corrupt and has deceived the people. In the state, the TDP leaders, too, are treading the same path without bothering about the problems faced by women, farmers, beedi workers,’’ she said. ‘‘If a government says everything is fine, it should mean that the people are happy. But do you really feel good?’’