Tiruchy: As heavy rain and thunder battered the central town of Tamil Nadu early Thursday evening, another storm called Rahul Gandhi descended down and swept through Tiruchy from 5.26pm. As if invoked by his summons, it started drizzling as soon as the Gandhi scion began his speech at 5.37pm with a vanakkam. Beginning with an anecdote to preach the virtues of ‘listening’ (to the lower classes, poor and weak) while in power, the Congress vice president launched a barrage of attacks on the regional parties, particularly the two Dravidian majors for turning the state in to a liquor hot bed, for the next 27 minutes, unmindful of the heavy downpour that left him completely drenched.
Many Congressmen who considered the rain a dampener later realised that it was a blessing in disguise as the Congress VP increased the tempo for every falling drop of water he chose to wipe of his face instead of accepting the umbrella his security guards offered. It rained so heavy that his water soaked microphone failed, causing a brief interruption and forcing him to share microphone with AICC secretary Thirunavukkarasar who translated his speech. What was even more surprising is that not a soul moved from the jampacked G corner ground where heads were covered with plastic chairs.
Even the thousand and odd cadres who stood near the ledge of the flyover endured the rain to enjoy their party poster boy’s speech. An enthused Gandhi who looked visibly elated for long after ending his speech was so impressed that he walked down the stage, scampered through slush and shook hands with the cadres who chanted the name “Rahulji” to deafening proposition.
Cautious Rahul keeps mum on Delhi
Notwithstanding the potshots he took at the regional parties, a cautious Rahul ensured that he did not utter the names of a single leader or party either in the state or at the Centre. Even while subtly taking a dig at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa saying, “some people (here) do not even step out of their house,” Mr Gandhi chose not to mention her name. Throughout his speech he used “regional parties” and dared not mention the DMK and AIADMK or its leaders even while fire salvos at them for ruining the state by liquor flow.
Apparently targeting Dalits and youths, Mr Gandhi loaded most of his speech with references to Dalits and unemployed youths. For those who expected fireworks in the backdrop of Vyapam and Lalitgate scams rocking the BJP in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, only disappointment was on offer as the Congress VP uttered not a word about Delhi politics, but for the lone occasion when he said that whether it is PM or CM, decisions are taken by people and not rulers.
