Rahul Gandhi Rallies Congress Cadre in Madhya Pradesh, Slams BJP Over Schoolchildren’s Welfare

Pachmarhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged party leaders and workers in Madhya Pradesh to intensify efforts to strengthen the organisation ahead of the 2028 Assembly and 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a high-level training session under the party’s ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ in the scenic hill town of Pachmarhi, Gandhi called for unity, discipline, and renewed focus on grassroots mobilisation. The event was attended by senior Congress figures, including former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, tribal stalwart Kantilal Bhuria, Umang Singhar, Jeetu Patwari, Kamleshwar Patel, Arun Yadav, Ajay Singh, and Dr. Govind Singh.

During the session, Digvijay Singh unveiled a comprehensive three-year roadmap aimed at revitalising the party’s campaign machinery, reconnecting with voters in rural and tribal belts, and re-establishing the Congress’ presence across the state.

Rahul Gandhi emphasised the need for collective leadership and coordination among district-level functionaries. In a symbolic gesture of inclusivity, he addressed party workers seated on the floor, stressing the importance of humility and teamwork.

Later in the evening, Gandhi held closed-door discussions with district Congress presidents to review organisational performance and strategy. Demonstrating his personal outreach, he also joined their families for dinner, strengthening bonds within the party cadre.

However, his visit wasn’t limited to internal party affairs. In a sharply worded video message posted on his official X handle, Rahul Gandhi targeted both the Central and state BJP governments over the alleged neglect of schoolchildren’s welfare. Referring to viral images from a government school in Sheopur district showing students eating mid-day meals on discarded newspapers, Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the BJP’s two-decade-long rule.

“Even after 20 years of BJP rule, children don’t have plates to eat their mid-day meals. It’s shameful that both Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have failed to ensure basic dignity for schoolchildren,” Gandhi said.

He further wrote, “These are the same innocent children on whose dreams the future of the country depends, and they don’t even get a plate of respect. More than 20 years of BJP government, and even the children’s plates have been stolen — their ‘development’ is just an illusion.”