Rahul Gandhi to visit Maharashtra on September 8 for farmers' cause

Mumbai: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Maharashtra on September 8 to take up the farmers’ issue. Mr Gandhi will be holding a rally in Parbhani and visit Nanded also. Both areas have received scanty rainfall this year leaving the farmers in the lurch.

According to a Congress functionary, Mr Gandhi would be taking up the farmers’ issues across the country and not just Maharshatra. “Rahul Gandhi has been vocal about the farmers’ issues. He has been visiting many places to extend his support to them. He will be addressing farmers in Parbhani and a similar programme has been planned for Nanded,” he said.

The Congress leader will also take stock of the political scenario in Maharashtra. He is expected to meet party leaders in the state to understand the ground reality. The party has faced defeats after it’s drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. There are plans to revive the party, all of which are expected to come up for discussion in the meetings with Mr Gandhi, according to a Congress leader.

The Congress has been supporting the farmers protest which was held in June this year. It has also halted proceedings at the legislature in March, demanding loan waiver. The party undertook a Sangharsh Yatra across Maharashtra for the farmers’ cause. The leaders visited areas, which have seen the maximum farmer suicides to express their solidarity with farmers.