Rahul to ‘discover India’ - by helicopter

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1154760

Thursday, March 06, 2008 23:19 IST
Subhashish Mohanty

Execution of game plan to market Brand Rahul begins today

BHUBANESWAR: Before reaching out to the masses and outstretching the Congress hand to seek their votes, the Gandhi family scion will find out what India and Indians are all about.

In a grand strategy to market Brand Rahul, his backroom managers are sending him out on a ‘discover India’ yatra beginning Friday in Orissa. The 37-year-old Congress general secretary will kick off the know-your-nation pilgrimage from Kalahandi.

Why Kalahandi? The place chose itself. For starters, it is infamous for being one of India’s worst drought-affected tribal regions. It’s also where his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a road show last elections. Besides, the region was said to be a soft spot for his late father Rajiv Gandhi.

“There is an emotional bondage between the Gandhi family and this region,” said union minister and AICC leader in charge of Orissa Ajay Maken.

A road show would have been the best bet even for Rahul: for him to acquaint himself with the aam admi and for them to discover their future leader. But the plan was dropped at the last minute after it was feared that Maoists might not make it a smooth ride.

“As Rahul’s cavalcade will pass through most of the naxal-affected areas, there is a threat,” said a senior state police officer. The party leaders agreed to a request by the state government to move Rahul by a chopper.

“There is always a security concern and we don’t want to put the state administration into problem,” Maken said. He quickly added that a helicopter would also help the young leader to crisscross the state faster.

Maken dwelt at length on how Rahul wants to familiarise himself with the “emerging issues” of the country and “the problems faced by crores of people”. This, he said, was the “real reason” for the tour.

He added: “Though the Congress is acquainted with all the issues, the emerging leader whom Congress activists see as the future should be well aware of all the facts.”

The party also thoughtfully included in Rahul’s four-day itinerary Gunupur where Rajiv made his last public speech before going to Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu where he was assassinated on May 21, 1991.

After Orissa, the tour will move to Karnataka.

subhashish_m@yahoo.com