Rahul’s July 29 march to Raj Bhawan cancelled

Lucknow: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s proposed march to the Raj Bhawan on Friday to hand over memorandum to Governor Ram Naik on the prevailing situation in Uttar Pradesh has been cancelled due to security concerns.

Gandhi was scheduled to march to the Raj Bhawan after holding a “direct” dialogue with booth level workers on July 29 to hand over a memorandum to the governor but it has been cancelled since permission has not been given by the administration, state Congress communications department chairman Satyadev Tripathi said.

The administration said Gandhi is an SPG protectee and permission cannot be given to his walking down 12 km-long distance up to Raj Bhawan and so the programme is being cancelled, he said.

Gandhi will hold one-to-one interaction with party’s booth level workers and office bearers during “UP Udghosh” programme at the sprawling Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here and take their feedback on matters concerning the party organisation in view of the coming Assembly polls, he said.

For the interaction, workers and office bearers will have to get themselves registered, the spokesman said.

About 50,000 Congress office-bearers and workers will take part in the interactive session with Gandhi, he said, adding that “all-out” preparations were being made to make the programme a success.