Amethi: Rahul faces protest,says things will be sorted out

Rahul is on a three-day tour of Amethi,which began on Monday.

On his first visit to Uttar Pradesh after the Assembly elections,AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi faced protest in his parliamentary constituency,Amethi,on Tuesday. Rahul is on a three-day tour of Amethi,which began on Monday.

On Monday,party workers had complained of senior leaders,including him,not being accessible to them. On Tuesday,as he began the post-poll review of Amethi Assembly constituency at Mushiganj guesthouse,a group of locals,led by Bhatiya Kisan Union leaders,started shouting slogans like Amethi bachao and asked Rahul to go back. The protesters complained that they are never able to meet Rahul and also demanded better roads,electricity,and proper registration under the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana.

As the sloganeering continued,Rahul called the representatives of protesters inside the guesthouse,and as per sources,interacted with them for 20 minutes. Sources said that he assured them that soon things would be sorted out from top to bottom.

The review meeting was no better. Amita Singh,former Congress MLA from Amethi and wife of Congress MP Sanjay Singh,refused to be a part of the meeting and sought separate time from Rahul in the evening to convey her grievances. Amita had contested from Amethi,and lost to the SP candidate. While she had blamed the local Congress workers for her defeat,the organisation had blamed her instead.

Sources said that in the meeting,workers protested against Amita and Sanjay Singh,alleging that these leaders do not trust workers. Another group complained that local leaders and the system created by Rahul are responsible for keeping away the grassroots workers from the AICC general secretary.

Rahul heard them patiently and admitted that there has been a lacunae in connectivity with the grassroots workers. A party worker said that Rahul promised to set up a control room at Mushiganj guesthouse,from where he can be contacted directly.

Many reasons for UP debacle: Report

New Delhi: Perception of corruption,price rise,wrong ticket distribution,controversial campaigning,and poor organisational structure were the main reasons for the partys debacle in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections,according to a high-power committee of the Congress,headed by A K Antony. The partys committee is understood to have completed its findings.