Rahul Gandhi interacts with tea estate workers in Peermade

Idukki: Rahul Gandhi on Saturday interacted with tea plantation workers at Glenmerry Estate in Peermade after briefly stopping his convoy during his return journey from Kuttikkanam.Rahul was in Idukki on Friday to participate in an interaction programme with students at Marian College, Kuttikkanam. After the two-hour programme, he stayed overnight at a private resort in Glenmerry, Pampanar. He left the resort for Thiruvananthapuram around 9am on Saturday and 1.5km into the journey, he noticed women workers plucking tea leaves in the estate and asked the driver to stop the vehicle.Surprised initially, the workers answered his questions about tea plucking and tea processing. They also briefed him about the challenges faced by the plantation sector and estate workers. Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose translated the conversation. The workers demonstrated the process of plucking tea leaves as well.Rahul left for Kuttikkanam after the interaction and later departed to Thiruvananthapuram by helicopter.