By Tehelka Web Desk
A voice in the crowd outside the Rae Bareli Collectorate was heard saying “Naraaz Fufa” as Rahul Gandhi arrived on Wednesday for a meeting to review development work in his parliamentary constituency. Some people nearby were heard laughing after the remark, which echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent jibe at the Congress leader. The incident added a political edge to Gandhi’s two-day visit to Rae Bareli.
Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, attended the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Collectorate, where officials reviewed development work and the implementation of government schemes in the district.
Road conditions emerged as a key issue. During the meeting, Gandhi showed officials photographs of pothole-ridden roads and asked the district administration for an explanation. He questioned the authorities about the condition of the roads and the action being taken to repair and maintain them.
According to the district administration, some roads were damaged by the rains. Several stretches had already been repaired, while the Public Works Department was handling the remaining repair work. Gandhi also raised the condition of roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
The DISHA meeting followed a day of meetings with people from different sections of Rae Bareli. On Tuesday, Gandhi met traders, lawyers, pharmacists and other local representatives and heard their concerns. Traders raised issues including rising precious-metal prices and GST on jewellery, and Gandhi assured them that their concerns would be taken up.
Gandhi also met representatives of the Chemists Association. During his interactions with traders, he criticised the policies of the BJP-led government at the Center and alleged that the business community was facing difficulties because of them.
His convoy also briefly stopped near Kotwa Madania on Tuesday, where flood-affected villagers met him and apprised him of their problems. He later travelled through Maharajganj before reaching the district headquarters.
The Rae Bareli visit therefore combined a review of constituency development with direct interaction with local groups. Gandhi’s focus on roads and other public issues at the DISHA meeting gave the visit a clear constituency-development angle, while his meetings with traders and other representatives allowed him to hear concerns directly.
The political exchange outside the Collectorate provided a contrasting moment. The “Naraaz Fufa” remark, followed by laughter from some people nearby, reflected the continuing political sparring between the BJP and Congress. But inside the meeting, the focus was on roads, government schemes and development issues in Gandhi’s constituency.
The two-day visit also comes at a politically significant time in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of the next Assembly election. For Gandhi, who represents Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha, the programme provided an opportunity to combine constituency-level review with political outreach.
