Rahul Gandhi to visit TN for 'Jallikattu' to lend 'moral' support to farmers protest

Congress leader Rahul Gandhiwould visit Tamil Nadu on January 14, the Pongal day andwitness a bull taming event, 'Jallikattu,' the party's statepresident K S Alagiri said here on Tuesday.

Gandhi would lend his moral support to farmersprotesting against the new farm laws across the country bywitnessing the sport at Avaniapuram in Madurai district,he told reporters here.

''The bull is a symbol of farmers and part of theirlives,'' the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president said.

His visit is to ''honour the farmers and the valorousTamil culture on the day of harvest festival and he will notengage in election campaign on that day,'' he said.

Assembly elections are due during April-May in thestate.

''The general public should gather in large numbers forthe event.'' Billing Gandhi's event as 'Rahulin Tamil Vanakkam,' hesaid it was also intended to dislodge the 'inept' AIADMKregime, 'subservient' to the Centre.

Only Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and hisparty the AIADMK supported the Central government's three farmlaws and no other political party favoured it, he claimed.

Gandhi is scheduled to arrive at Madurai by 11 am onPongal day and would be spending about four hours in thetemple town.

Though there are no other scheduled events likeinteraction with farmers, such programmes might take place ifthe leader so desired, Alagiri said.

Gandhi also has no plans to visit the alliance partyDMK's president M K Stalin or other leaders, he said.

During his visit to western Tamil Nadu, likely towardsthe month end, Gandhi could meet allies, he said adding hisparty senior leader had a plan to campaign extensively inTamil Nadu. Priyanka Gandhi would also be invited to thestate in the run up to the polls, he said.

To a question, he mocked at the AIADMK alliance in TamilNadu and alleged the partners in the ruling party led combinecould not even agree upon the Chief Ministerial candidate.

The BJP, after maintaining for some time that NDA wouldannounce the CM candidate said on Monday that the AIADMK, the'major' partner would decide it.

The TNCC chief said his party stood behind DMK chiefM K Stalin and he is the CM candidate of the alliance.

Harmony prevailed in the DMK camp and it was absent inthe AIADMK combine, he claimed ruling out scope for discordbetween Congress and DMK in seat sharing for the Assemblypolls.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)