Rahul Gandhi makes impromptu visit to Sonipat village, interacts with villagers, rides tractor
Chandigarh (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday made an impromptu visit to Haryana's Sonipat district and interacted with people and spent time with farmers working agricultural lands.
He also took part in paddy sowing, a senior party leader from the state said.
Gandhi reached Sonipat district's Madina village early on Saturday.
"It was an impromptu visit ... He interacted with the villagers and the farmers working in the fields. Rahulji also took part in paddy sowing and drove a tractor," Jagbeer Singh Malik, the Congress' MLA from Gohana in Sonipat, told PTI over phone.
Malik, who was present at the spot, said Gandhi was probably on his way to Himachal Pradesh from Delhi.
In pictures tweeted from the Congress' official handle, Gandhi was seen in his familiar white t-shirt and trousers. He was also stepping onto the fields with the villagers.
On Friday, Gujarat High Court dismissed Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.
Gandhi on May 23 travelled in a truck from Delhi to Chandigarh to listen to the problems faced by truck drivers.
He undertook the journey during the night and in visuals and videos, the former Congress chief, donning his trademark white t-shirt, was seen sitting inside a truck, travelling with a driver and speaking to drivers at a dhaba.
VIDEO l Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meets farmers, drives a tractor in the fields in Sonipat, Haryana, while on his way to Shimla earlier today. pic.twitter.com/FIaX6iyvSr
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If Bumrah is not fit then a score of around 200 also might not be enough: Gavaskar
Sydney, Jan 4: Batting great Sunil Gavaskar feels India will struggle to defend even 200 in case premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah is unable to bowl at full throttle on the third day of the fifth and final Test against Australia here on Sunday.
Bumrah had left the field for scans during the second day's post-lunch session after bowling just one over, having experienced some discomfort. However, he returned to the dressing room after undergoing precautionary scans for an unspecified niggle.
India pacer Prasidh Krishna said his skipper had suffered back spasm.
The medical team was monitoring him as India ended the day 145 runs in front with four second innings wickets left on a SCG track which is aiding the bowlers.
"Look, if India scores 40 more runs or they put 185 on the board then they have a great chance but it all depends on Jasprit Bumrah's fitness. If Jasprit Bumrah is fit then 145-150 might be enough. But if Bumrah is not fit then a score of around 200 also might not be enough," said Gavaskar on Star Sports on Saturday.
Gavaskar also said maintaining secrecy around Bumrah's status is not going to help the Australians, who have so far struggled to counter the threat posed by the Indian pace spearhead.
"One thing that I liked was when he came back after the scan, obviously it took a lot of time because the hospital is a bit far, but he looked in good shape and his body language was such that there was no indication of the Australian team and it is very important to maintain the secrecy.
"Because, tactically you do not want to announce whether Bumrah will be available for bowling or not, and even if he is not available and this news goes across the opposition dressing room because till now Australian batsmen haven't found out a way to counter him, they don’t know whether they should attack, defend, or whether they should play on front-foot.
"So to execute this plan it is important to maintain secrecy, so Bumrah and the Indian team management managed it quite well," Gavaskar said.
The pacer has already taken 32 wickets in the series, and had figures of 2/33 in 10 overs before leaving the field, having removed Marnus Labuschagne in the morning session and Usman Khawaja on the last ball of the first evening.
