Rahul Gandhi's Amethi visit sees protests for second day

Rahul Gandhi's Amethi visit was marred by protests for the second consecutive day even as the Congress general secretary today promised major changes in the organisational set up following shockingly dismal performace of the party in the Nehru-Gandhi pocket borough in UP polls.

If it was the delay in construction of an overbridge which led residents of Chitkapur and Radheypur villages to raise slogans before Munshiganj guest house, where the Amethi MP has put up, earlier in the day, activists of Bhartiya Kisan Union (women wing) protested outside the party workers' meeting in Jamo area later against shifting of army's branch recruitment office.

A group 35 to 40 people led by the village head Girish Chand Misra wanted to meet Rahul in connection with the long pending demand of an overbridge near Amethi railway station and raised anti-Rahul slogans when denied entry.

On the mediation of the local Congress leaders and administrative officials, they were, however, allowed to meet Rahul and were given an assurance that it would be taken up soon. According to sources, Rahul questioned his staff as to why the project has not been taken up yet. In the evening, a group of youths led by district president of Bhartiya Kisan Union's women cell Rita Singh raised slogans against the Congress MP as a party workers meeting was being held in KP Inter college complex.

The Congress leader, however, ignored the protest.

Another delegation of farmers whose land is likely to be acquired for 40 kms long Jafrabad-Musafirkhana by-pass met Gandhi and handed over a memorandum against it, sources said.

Yesterday, students of government girls inter college had sat on dharna at Jais to protest lack of facilities and teachers following which Rahul's route was diverted.

Addressing partymen on the second day of his two-day visit, Rahul indicated massive changes in the organisation soon in an exercise aimed at strengthening the Congress in its stronghold where the party fared badly in the assembly polls, party sources said.

The Congress won only two of the five assembly seats in Amethi in the recent UP polls and lost all the five assembly seats in party chief Sonia Gandhi's constituency Rae Bareli.

Nearly 200 workers led by Jamo block president Chotelal Tewari attended Rahul's meeting said today.

The Congress leader also warned partymen against factionlism saying that it will not be tolerated as it harms the organisation.

He said that whatever happened in the organisation till now should be ignored and promised that from now on village level workers would also be taken into confidence on development works. He asked them to work towards apprising the people about the schemes and programmes of the central government.

The Congress MP said that though the Union goverment has started schemes for the benefit of all sections including dalits, backwards like MNREGS but the organsiation has failed to take it to the people, the sources said.

While ignoring the protestors, Gandhi chose to interact with villagers of Ramganj near the workers' meeting venue.

At another programme, he distributed tricycles and wheelchairs to physically challenged children.

When some of those present complained of shortfall of such vehicles, Rahul asked his staff to do the needful.

He also visited the house of Vishnu Dutt Shukla , a former block pramukh of Shukla Bazar area who expired today.

Local people from all walks of life made abeelone to meet Rahul Gandhi seeking his help in connection with their demands pertaining to getting handpums, medical treatment, education, employment among others.