With Rahul Gandhi set to make his first public appearance after a nearly two-month long sabbatical, Congress is pulling out all the stops to ensure the success of the farmers' rally called in New Delhi on April 19 to protest against the land bill.
Seeking to put pressure on the Modi dispensation, Congress is planning a massive mobilisation of farmers across the country with party general secretary Digvijay Singh saying that lakhs are expected to join in.
Rahul will be addressing the rally along with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Singh told reporters after a meeting of the party leaders to prepare for the rally.
Painting the National Democratic Alliance government as being 'anti-farmer and anti-poor", Singh said that the way it had proceeded on the controversial bill had "exposed it thoroughly".
Instead of holding discussions with all concerned to arrive at a consensus, the prime minister has gone ahead unilaterally on the bill, he said.
He also faulted the government for "not vigorously" implementing the rural job scheme and its "failure" to give remunerative support prices to farmers for their produce.
The rally assumes significance as it is being held on the eve of the opening of the second phase of the budget session of the parliament and at a time when the government has repromulgated the land acquisition ordinance.
Sonia Gandhi had led a march of opposition leaders to the Rashtrapati Bhavan last month to protest against the land bill.
