Why Sonia, Rahul & Priyanka Gandhi Are Coming to AP?

Senior Chiefs Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi are set to visit Andhra Pradesh as part of a major political protest planned by the party. The visit is linked to the Centre’s recent decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

The Congress strongly opposes the renaming of the scheme, arguing that it removes Mahatma Gandhi’s identity and the original spirit behind the programme. Party leaders say the change is not just about a new name but an attempt to erase Gandhi’s values from a landmark welfare scheme meant for rural poor.

The protest meeting will be held on February 2 at Bandlapalli village in the Singanamala constituency of Anantapur district. The location has strong symbolic value. It was at the same village on February 2, 2006, that the employment guarantee scheme was launched in Andhra Pradesh by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, during the tenure of late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

Congress leaders highlight that the scheme has provided livelihood support to crores of rural families over the past two decades. By choosing the same date and venue, the party wants to send a strong message against the Centre’s decision and remind people of the scheme’s origins.

The Congress leadership is also expected to outline its future strategy and protest plans during the meeting, making the visit politically significant for Andhra Pradesh.