Will fulfil bifurcation promises, says Rahul

Adoni: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed happiness over the response that Bharat Jodo Yatra had received in Andhra Pradesh and that his party was committed to fulfilling the promises made when the state was bifurcated in 2014.

"During the bifurcation, the Union government had made certain commitments to Andhra Pradesh and it is the Congress party's stand that these have to be fulfilled. Commitments were given on the Polavaram project and special category status.

When we come to power, we will fulfil them,'' Rahul Gandhi told reporters at Adoni. "In fact, some of the Congress leaders are surprised at the response and they are very enthused, and I think there is scope for the Congress to grow in the state again,'' he added. Rahul Gandhi, who had met some farmers who had given their land for a new capital in Amaravati, said the state should have only one capital. "I stand by the farmers of Amaravati and will fight for them,'' he said, adding that the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government's proposal to have three capitals was under legal scrutiny.

Rahul Gandhi said he had also met people affected by the Polavaram project and assured them of help. The Congress would also announce a special package for the Rayalaseema region, which was promised during the 2014 bifurcation. He said the Congress was the only secular and democratic party in the country and that the Bharat Jodo Yatra was aimed at uniting the country when it was being divided along religious lines. Rahul Gandhi lambasted the BJP and said it had three objectives.

"The first is to maintain the caste hierarchy and to eventually kill the Indian Constitution, to make sure Indian women are always subservient, and to divide India along religious lines. The Congress views are diametrically opposite. We protect the Constitution, we protest the rights of women, and we bring communities and religions together," he said.

The Congress leader resumed his yatra in the morning from Chagi village, where he camped during Tuesday night. He reached Adoni Arts and Science College for a break and resumed the yatra at 4pm proceeding to Areka.