At Ramlila Maidan, thousands demand Rahul be back as Cong chief

Slogans of 'Make Rahul Gandhi INC president' rent the air on Sunday as thousands of Congress supporters reached the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi to raise their voice against price rise and unemployment.

Many party workers, who came to attend the 'Mehangai Par Halla Bol' rally, put up banners demanding Rahul to once again lead the party.

The rally also saw the presence of women, children and the elderly who braved the scorching heat and participated in the gathering to register their protest against 'skyrocketing' prices of essential commodities.

As soon as Gandhi came on the dias, the crowd gave him a standing ovation and raised slogans of 'Rahul Gandhi Zindabad'.

"Rahul ji is our true leader and we have full faith in him that he will restore the glory of the Congress. He should be made the party president," Deepesh Singh, who came to attend the rally from Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh, said.

Rahul had resigned from the top post following the party's debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Sonia Gandhi has been leading the party as interim president since August, 2019.

Rahul and a host of senior leaders of the party addressed the rally.

Party workers from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, besides other parts of the country, were in attendance.

The rally comes ahead of the opposition party's 3,500-km 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, starting September 7, highlighting the issues of price rice and unemployment, and promoting communal harmony.

Sumit Meena, who came from Rajasthan, said Rahul Gandhi can lead the party as well as the country.

"Not only the Congress, Rahul Gandhi can also lead the country. He is the only leader who talks about real issues like 'mehangai' (price rise) or unemployment. He should be made the party chief," he said.

Ramlila Maidan was packed with Congress supporters and workers who came from different parts of the country to listen to their leader. People jostled at entry gates to get inside the venue.

Some men, who came in a group from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan wearing traditional turbans, danced to the tunes of patriotic songs. Songs talking about inflation like 'Mehangai Dayan Khaye Jat Hai' were also played at the venue.

Meanwhile, people picked various ways to register their protest against inflation and unemployment.

Some sat on streets around Ramlila Maidan, wearing Congress T-shirts and hats with the slogan of 'Halla Bol against Mehangai' written on them, while some reached the venue barefoot.

"The situation (of inflation) is such that I cannot even afford a pair of shoes, that is why I came here barefoot," Shalini, who came from Madhya Pradesh, said.

Mohammad Sajid sat in the middle of the road wearing the Congress T-shirt and hat.

"I am happy because this rally talks about ending inflation and defeating the Modi government which is the root cause of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. Rahul ji is my brother and he will rule the country and take it to new heights," he said.

Stalls selling tea, fried snacks, shoe polish, stoles with Congress party symbol, ice cream, among others, were set up around Ramlila Maidan.

People were also seen taking pictures with Rahul Gandhi's posters.