Rahul Gandhi’s visit raises Gujarat’s poll fever

GANDHINAGAR: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday kick-started his party’s campaign for the assembly election in Gujarat due later this year with a visit to Dwarkadhish temple in Dwarka.

The Congress scion is on a three-day visit to Gujarat and is scheduled to meet people in villages across the politically volatile Saurashtra region.

Soon after Gandhi landed in the state, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti convenor Hardik Patel put out a tweet welcoming him, raising hopes among Congress members that Patidar community might shift its allegiance to the party after a long time.

Gandhi lashed out at the Union government, holding it responsible for the plight of farmers, youths and labourers, and said that the Centre can write off mega loans given to corporates but cannot waive farm loans.

After visiting Dwarkadhish temple, the Congress vice president met people in Nadana and Bhatiya villages in the vicinity, and then travelled to Hanjdapar village, where he rode a bullock cart to reach the venue.

Gandhi criticised demonetisation and said the measure had hit small traders, farmers and labourers the hardest. He also raked up the issue of minimum support price for ground nut that is close to the hearts of farmers in Saurashtra and claimed farmers are not getting the minimum price for their produce. Gandhi is scheduled to meet farmers at Rajkot on Tuesday and people across villages in Surendranagar district on Wednesday.

Gujarat BJP spokesman Bharat Pandya termed the roadshow in Saurashtra a flop show. “Congress has lost as many as 28 polls under leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Poll analysts and people rightly say that wherever Rahul steps in, Congress steps out and suffers defeat,” Pandya said.