WARANGAL: There was an electrifying response from the people as Rahul Gandhi took out a padayatra from Warangal Chowrastha to Pochamma Maidan in the Warangal East constituency on Friday.
The entire road came alive. The party workers welcomed the Congress leader, by beating drums and flying the party flags. The road remained packed with people as Rahul moved forward, waving at the people.
The youths cheered him with whistles and slogans. People came out with their families to watch the Congress leader. The rooftops of the buildings on either side of the road were full of people who kept cheering him ecstatically.
Rahul Gandhi, while continuing his padayatra, suddenly stopped at a place, feeling thirsty. He then went to a fruit juice shop vendor Pulluru Sridahr nearby. Sridhar readily offered him fruit juice to help him slake his thirst.
‘Juicy’ interaction
After sipping the fruit juice, Rahul started a conversation with the workers at the fruit juice shop and the other customers. He listened to their problems. M Praveen, a resident of Yellam Bazar, told Rahul that BRS sitting MLA, Nannapuneni Narender, is funneling the benefits of welfare schemes to only his loyalists and party workers. He told him that no other person benefited from welfare schemes. “I am sure once the Congress comes to power, our problems would be solved,” he said.
Abdul Sattar, a resident of Nimapura told the Congress leader that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had betrayed the trust the Muslims had reposed in him. At least under Congress dispensation if they get 12 percent reservation, they would get jobs and lead a decent life, he said.
Seeking justice
M Ravi, a resident of the area, said: “I migrated from the Siddapuram village about five years ago. I have no help from the government. With no work in the village, I and my family migrated to the city. I am forced to work as a daily wage labourer.”
S Vasantha, another resident, said that she did not get a double-bedroom house. “The houses were allotted only to ruling party members. I believe Congress would do justice to me,” she said.
After listening to them patiently, Rahul asked them to bear with the present situation for a few more days. He told them that as soon as the Congress comes to power, it would address all their problems.