Rahul flays TDP govt over tardy relief

• AICC vice-president distributes Rs 1 lakh cheque each to kin of 53 victims
• Urges Congress leaders and activists to help the affected people
• Promises to raise the issue in Parliament

Visakhapatnam: All India Congress Committee vice-president and MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday undertook a whirlwind tour in the cyclone-affected areas of Visakhapatnam city and Vizianagaram district.

Soon after landing at the Visakhapatnam airport, he went to the steel plant area to meet the people in distress and consoled them. This was followed by the visit to Thatichetlapalem area where he met more people affected by the cyclone.

At both the places, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress party always stood by the poor and weaker sections during distress which was why he came to meet them. He had information that the cyclone relief provided by the State Government was not reaching the people affected by cyclone, he said. He would raise the issue in Parliament along with his MPs and Rajya Sabha member K Chiranjeevi would raise the matter in Rajya Sabha, he said.

The AICC Vice-President then left for Vizianagaram to visit two areas in Bhogapuram mandal and returned in the afternoon to the city to participate in a road show. He visited the Edugulla Junction, Nerella Koneru, Gokul Theatre and Ramakrishna Theatre areas and reached Turner’s Choultry via Police Barracks where he addressed the people briefly.

Later, Rahul Gandhi drove to Novotel hotel where he handed over cheques for Rs 1 lakh each to the relatives of the 53 dead in the Hudhud cyclone.

The Congress leader also took the opportunity to interact with the party leaders to review the cyclone relief work in the city and the role of the Congress workers in helping the people. He exhorted them to visit the affected areas and ensure that the people were provided succor.

Rahul Gandhi arrived by a special flight at the Visakhapatnam airport in the morning and was received by Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president N Raghuveera Reddy, MP Chiranjeevi, former Central minister Killi Kruparani, former ministers P Balaraju, Vatti Vasantha Kumar, Kondru Murali and senior leader V Hanumantha Rao and Rajya Sabha member T Subbarami Reddy and other leaders.