Rahul Gandhi's 'talent hunt' tour begins

New Delhi, Mar 7: All-India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi began his Discovery of India journey on Friday from the poverty-stricken Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput region of Orissa. After failing to cut his teeth in the Uttar Pradesh elections, Rahul is trying out another non-Congress state. Rahul will be criss-crossing Orissa to create a base for his party over the next few days.

His tour beginning with Orissa has an emotional reason as his grand mother Indira Gandhi delivered her last speech in Bhubaneshwar and Rajiv Gandhi toured the state before his assassination in Sriperumbadur of Tamil Nadu. According to Congress sources, the young Congress leader would attend as many as 13 programmes during his four-day visit to Orissa. Interaction with the youth and tribals would be the major highlights of his visit.

On the first day, Mr. Gandhi would visit some watershed projects in the Sinapali area in neighbouring Nuapada district, which was part of Kalahandi in the past. He would later address a rally in the district headquarters town of Bhawanipatna. At the Bhawanipatna rally, Mr. Gandhi is likely to speak about the achievements of the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre, and 'the failures" of the Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party in the State in addressing the issues concerning the tribals and farmers, party sources said.

There would be no roadshows in the programme, primarily due to security reasons.

OneIndia News