Rahul Gandhi visit will boost confidence among Telangana farmers: Congress

HYDERABAD: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's visit to Telangana next week would instill confidence among farmers in the state, where several peasants have allegedly committed suicide due to agrarian crisis, the party said today.

Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who held a meeting with Congress leaders here, appealed to the party functionaries and activists to make Rahul's tour a success, saying "his visit would instill confidence among farmers in the state where hundreds of peasants have allegedly committed suicide due to agrarian crisis".

Extending his outreach to farmers, the 44-year-old Congress leader would embark on a two-day tour of Telangana on May 11 and 12, wherein he would undertake a 'padyatra' (foot march) and interact with farmers in Adilabad district.

According to the schedule announced by the party, he would arrive at the international airport here at 4 pm on Monday and interact with student leaders of Osmania University, who have been agitating on employment issues, for about 10 minutes.

Rahul would then proceed for Nirmal in Adilabad district, where he will spend the night. His 'padyatra' would begin from Vadiyala village on Tuesday morning wherein he would cover a distance of 15km. During the march, he will console the families of farmers who have allegedly committed suicide due to agrarian distress in Telangana.

He will address farmers at Koratikal village in late afternoon and return to Hyderabad, from where he would leave for Delhi, Reddy said.

Telangana Opposition parties Congress, TDP, BJP and others alleged that hundreds of farmers have committed suicide due to agrarian crisis since the TRS government came to power last year, a charge denied by the administration.