Priyanka's farmers initiative gets huge response in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi/ Lucknow, March 3 (IANS) The Congress's "Kisan Jan Jagran Abhiyan" is getting huge response in Uttar Pradesh with scores of farmers are coming to tell their grievances and fill the feedback form for the party.

Congress General Secretary Incharge East UP Priyanka Gandhi, in a series of tweets in Hindi, said: "Today farmers of 75 districts in 305 Tehsils raised their voices under the leadership of the Congress party. Congress workers have gone to farmers' houses to hear their story of distress. Issues such as stray animals, crop prices and waiver of loans are being ignored by the BJP government.

"The Congress will not let their voice die."

The party, which has launched a 4-tier farmers agitation and feedback programme, is set to take the issue to district level after the tehsil level and then the party will hold four big rallies in four parts of the state, before a big march to the state capital to galvanise the movement.

The first phase which ended on Tuesday will restart after the Holi festival and see the farmers issues being raised at the district level.

State party chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said: "We have got an overwhelming response from the farmers ... till date we have got 20 lakh feedback forms from the farmers, we hope that we will be getting 50 lakh forms and reach at least to the doorsteps of the 'annadata' (farmers)."

The party launched this program in February this year and the programme is likely to continue till the harvest.

The party plans to connect with the farmers directly rather than through mediums and for this, on the instructions of Priyanka Gandhi, the party workers have been assigned target and to achieve the goal said a leader.

The party is eyeing a comeback in this year panchayat elections and a leader said that this time, they will be contesting the elections seriously.

The party has also launched a 'Save Reservation March' where the leaders of the party belonging to SC, ST and OBC community have been involved to attract the community.