Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Oct 20: Perhaps corruption has sullied the image of Congress party. Even the people from parliamentary constituency of Rahul Gandhi bluntly told him to field candidates with clean image. Call it Anna effect but the locals made their preference clear, with Congress yuvraj left with no words but to assure them that their demands will be seriously taken up by the party.
Rahul Gandhi who is on a visit to his parliamentary constituency Amethi on Thursday got an unusal demand from local residents. Known for springing surprises Rahul stopped his cavalcade enroute after noticing a sizeable crowd at a crossing. When Rahul enquired them about their demands, the residents in one voice demanded: "Give us candidate with clean image". The demand took the Congress leaders
present there by surprise. The state of UP will be going to polls in 2012. Congress has already declared two lists with 135 candidates.
Accepting the demand, Rahul assured them that only candidates with clean image will be given tickets during elections. "We will take into account the image of candidate while giving ticket. We will not disappoint you," he said. Some of the local leaders confided on one hand that the show was stage managed as they are against the local candidate given the ticket by Congress.
Later, Rahul inaugurated Mobile ATM of the Corporation Bank in Amethi and distributed kisan credit cards and loans to the farmer in separate functions. Rahul also lamented that farmers in the state are facing acute crisis of fertilisers. Rahul blamed the local officials for creating artificial scarcity. Local District Agriculture Officer (DAO) rushed to offer explanation. Things look settled down and Rahul urged the farmers and other elected members to take up the issue with local authorities.
Security breach
In another development Rahul's security was once again breached when the SPG persons nabbed a person who reached close to Rahul Gandhi. The person was carrying a revolver. Later it was found that the revolver was a licensed one. The youth has been identified as Bajranji Soni alias Ashish and was trying to give an application to Rahul for a probe in the murder of his father and brother.