Rahul Gandhi attends Sonepat farmer’s daughter’s wedding, honours 2023 promise

Leader of opposition’s visit to Madina village marks continuation of his outreach to the farming community, following his 2023 stopover to transplant paddy.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, arrived in Sonepat’s Madina village on Tuesday to attend the wedding of farmer Sanjay Kumar’s daughter.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda with farmer Sanjay Kumar (second from left) in Sonepat’s Madina village on Tuesday to attend the wedding of his daughter. (HT Photo)

Accompanied by Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Gandhi reached the venue under heavy security cover, where he received a traditional welcome. Sanjay and fellow villagers tied a white ceremonial turban (pagri) on Gandhi’s head before he proceeded to meet the family and local residents.

The visit highlights a personal rapport Gandhi has maintained with the village over the last three years.

On July 8, 2023, during an impromptu stop while travelling from Delhi to Shimla, Gandhi waded into the muddy fields of Madina to help Sanjay and other farmers transplant paddy. Clad in a T-shirt and trousers, he spent hours driving a tractor and discussing agrarian distress with the local workforce, including women labourers, despite the rain.

That encounter evolved into a lasting association. Shortly after the field visit, Rahul and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is also the Wayanad MP, hosted Sanjay and a group of farmers from Madina for lunch at their Delhi residence. During that interaction, the farmers’ families shared a meal with the Gandhi family.

Sources confirmed that Sanjay extended the wedding invitation during their previous meetings.