Priyanka Vadra tries her hand at plucking tea leaves during Assam visit
Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Assam was seen plucking tea leaves and interacting with tea garden workers in Biswanath. Video shared by news agency ANI shows Priyanka carrying a basket on her back which was balanced by a band on her head. She wore a scarf on her head on which the band was strapped on. The video shows Priyanka taking instructions from tea garden workers on how to pluck tea leaves.
Priyanka was given a rousing welcome when she arrived at the Sadhuru tea garden. She spent nearly 30 minutes at the garden before leaving for Tezpur in Sonitpur district.
Priyanka's visit to a tea garden assumes significance as the BJP government recently increased the daily wages of tea garden workers from Rs 167 to Rs 217. With close to 10 lakh tea workers and over 60 lakh population of the tea tribe community, they are a major vote bank in Assam. Over the years, Assam tea votes have seen a shift from Congress to the BJP. The tea tribe community is a determining factor in as many as 35 assembly seats, out of a total 126.
Earlier on Monday, Priyanka offered prayers at the famed Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati as she began her two-day visit to the state. Priyanka said that she wanted to visit the temple for long and her wish has come true. "I sought blessings for myself, my family and above all for the people of Assam," she told reporters.
After visiting the Kamakhya shrine, she left for Lakhimpur where she visited Sonari gram panchayat and held a meeting with party workers. She was also seen performing a traditional 'Jhumur' dance with several young women in Lakhimpur.
Elections to the 126-member assembly will be held in three phases. While first phase will cover 48 seats on March 27, 39 seats will go to polls in the second phase on April 1. The remaining 40 seats will go to polls in the third and final phase on April 6. Results will be declared on May 2.
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