Congress President Sonia Gandhi Meets Rain Affected Farmers In Rajasthan

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today visited Kota in Rajasthan to meet the farmers and review their losses to due to this year's unseasonal rains and hailstorms. According to State Government estimates, 33 people have died and more than 50 per cent of crops have been destroyed in over 3000 villages in the state.

Mrs Gandhi arrived by a chartered plane at Jhalawar airstrip from where she boarded a helicopter for Kota. Mrs Gandhi was accompanied by state Congress leaders including Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Sachin Pilot and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

In a fleeting 30 second meeting, Mrs Gandhi met Jhamku Meena, a 70-year-old widow whose entire produce of wheat crop, on her less than an acre, lies submerged in rain water. Jhamku has no others means of survival. "There is no hope now. The wheat has become so bad that it is not even good enough for animal fodder," she says pointing at the damaged crop.

Mrs Gandhi, who was on a day-long tour, said she was pained by the destruction. "This is the worst I have seen. I am pained after looking at the destruction. The Congress will raise the plight of farmers and request the state and central governments to provide relief," Mrs Gandhi told the reporters.

The political significance of Mrs Gandhi's visit was not lost on the ruling BJP.The congress president's activism on farmers issues is being seen as a well thought out strategy by the congress party to reach out to its core voter base

In what appeared to be a move to pre-empt the opposition, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, visited the rain affected areas in her constituency Jhalawar yesterday. Jhalawar is 82 kms away from Kota where Mrs Gandhi spent her day today.

Mrs Raje, when asked to react on Mrs Gandhi's visit, said "A natural calamity affects all, it is not a crisis for one party alone."