The Congress Party, which was on the low after the State’s bifurcation, is aiming to bounce back into the political arena. The maiden visit of Rahul Gandhi, after taking charge as AICC president, to Kurnool district on Tuesday focused on establishing a firm footing by reaffirming the commitment to the people by highlighting the party agenda for the upcoming general elections.
Mr. Gandhi, during the initial leg of his visit, interacted with the family members of the first Dalit Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Damodaram Sanjeevaiah at the latter’s native Peddapadu village. He also interacted with the locals and reviewed the proposal to set up a memorial at the village, recollecting Sanjeevaiah’s contribution. Recalling an anecdote when the party high command had to confirm the integrity of Sanjeevaiah following corruption charges, Mr. Gandhi said his frugal lifestyle — living in a modest dwelling and his mother cooking on an earthen stove — as witnessed by the party leaders had stunned them into accepting his greatness and commitment towards the job.
Tributes to Kotla
In the evening, Mr. Gandhi paid floral tributes at the Kisan Ghat, samadhi of former Chief Minister Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, and hailed his contributions besides interacting with the farming community. Former Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy downplayed the propaganda of both the State and the Central governments asserting that neither of them should be trusted with the State’s development. “On the other hand, YSR Congress Party propagates violence instead of the welfare of the people,” he said. Former Union Minister Kotla Jayasurya Prakasha Reddy said the Congress would never be dead as claimed by the political parties in the State and would always work for the people’s welfare. APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy, former MLAs Byreddy Rajasekhara Reddy and Kotla Sujathamma, former Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan and several leaders were present, alongside a sizeable attendance of party followers.