HYDERABAD: Congress president Sonia Gandhi seems to have decided that championing the cause of farmers is the surest way of reclaiming lost ground, whether it is at the Centre or in the reorganised State of Andhra Pradesh.
With the Chandrababu Naidu Government facing stiff resistance over its decision to acquire fertile agricultural lands for the construction of the new capital city in the State, the Congress leadership, sources said, has decided to join issue with the ruling TDP. Sonia Gandhi herself will lead from the front and tour the 29 villages, earmarked for the new capital, located between Vijayawada and Guntur. Since several farmers are alleging that they were being forced to part with their lands, Sonia will interact with them and assure them of her party’s support.
This was disclosed by Congress Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramachandra Rao on Sunday. Addressing the media in Delhi, Rao said, “Madam Sonia Gandhi has decided to visit the AP capital region soon to take stock of the prevailing situation there.” He said her tour schedule would be finalised soon.
As if preparing the ground for her visit, Rao slammed the TDP government for entrusting the task of capital development to Singapore-based companies. “What is the purpose of awarding planning and construction works of the new capital to Singapore companies when there is expertise in India? The government should have elicited the views of all parties,” he said and demanded that Naidu convene an all-party meeting.