The Hindu : Front Page : Rahul lends patient ear to partymen

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Monday, Jul 28, 2008
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Rahul lends patient ear to partymen

HYDERABAD: The maiden visit of All-India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Rahul Gandhi to the Congress headquarters, the Gandhi Bhavan, here on Sunday was different in many ways that left the party leaders and cadres pleased.

His 90-minute visit was a marked departure from that of AICC dignitaries, in the way in which he gave priority to direct interaction with party leaders over the usual speech-making. Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, APCC president D. Srinivas, AICC general secretary M. Veerappa Moily and others were present.

Flanked by these leaders, Mr. Gandhi preferred to meet the presidents, chairpersons and heads of the OBC, SC, ST, minority and Mahila Congress. He devoted a major part of his time to giving a patient hearing to them and trying to collect the factual position about the party and the performance of the Government.

After initial hesitation, party leaders saw an opportunity to apprise him of the ground realities. The OBC department chairman J. Chittaranjan Das, for instance, said that Backward Classes in the party were getting a raw deal by being sidelined at the time of allotment of ticket during elections. He made a plea for allotment of 20 per cent of the ticket to BCs. The minority department chief, Md. Sirajuddin, favoured inclusion of non-officials in the committee to implement the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for Muslims.

Another significant suggestion was to consider the plea of weavers to waive the loans availed of by them on the lines of the waiver for farmers. The Kisan Khet cell chief, M. Kodanda Reddy, said there was a need to stop the NREGP works during the peak agricultural operations.

Mr. Gandhi also participated in the teleconference with six DCC presidents. Some of the district chiefs appeared overwhelmed by his gesture and fumbled for words while speaking to him. Congress Seva Dal workers led by their chief, K. Janardhan Reddy, were delighted when Mr. Gandhi met them separately.

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