Rahul Gandhi calls BCCI VP Rajiv Shukla, requests cricket academy in Raebareli
Congress leader also signs Swachh Survekshan pledge and interacts with players at the tournament
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, turned a sporting celebration in Raebareli into a moment of quiet advocacy on Tuesday, urging the creation of a cricket academy to nurture local talent in his parliamentary constituency.
While attending a cricket event in Raebareli, Gandhi took note of the condition of the sports ground and engaged in a conversation with members of the organising committee from the stage itself. District Cricket Association president Dr Manish Chauhan, along with Sunil Singh Bhadoria and Vikas Singh, informed him that the area lacked proper sporting infrastructure, forcing aspiring players to train under difficult conditions.
Moved by the concerns raised, Rahul Gandhi immediately reached out to BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla over the phone, requesting the establishment of a cricket academy in Raebareli. The appeal, made publicly from the stage, underscored his emphasis on grassroots sports development and the need to provide young athletes with better opportunities and facilities.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi inaugurated the Raebareli Premier League T-20 cricket tournament, organised by the Youth Sports Academy, at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium on the ITI campus. He unveiled the tournament trophy, interacted with players from the participating teams, and even paused to watch an over of the match, lending an encouraging presence to the proceedings.
The Congress later shared details of the visit on social media, noting that Rahul Gandhi also signed the Swachh Survekshan pledge at the venue and spent time interacting with players and teams competing in the tournament.
As part of his two-day visit to Raebareli, Rahul Gandhi also met party officials and delegations at the Bhuyemau Guest House earlier on Tuesday. He had arrived in the constituency on Monday, landing in Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, where he was greeted by party workers.
The visit marked another chapter in Rahul Gandhi’s regular engagement with Raebareli, following his last trip to the constituency in September last year, when he attended multiple programmes and chaired a DISHA meeting, reinforcing his focus on local development and community outreach.
With PTI inputs