Rahul Gandhi to visit father Rajiv Gandhi's memorial in Tamil Nadu

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a blast triggered by a woman suicide bomb during a rally at Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, when he was campaigning in the southern state. Last year, Rahul had prayed at his father’s memorial before launching the nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra.

New Delhi:Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will pray at his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu on May 21, the martyrdom day of the late leader. Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a blast triggered by a woman suicide bomb during a rally at Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991, when he was campaigning in the southern state.

Since then, the party has been observing the day as martyrdom day and has been organising blood donation and social harmony events across the country. Last year, Rahul had prayed at his father’s memorial before launching the nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on September 7 majorly to mobilise people against the BJP’s alleged divisive politics.

The visit on Sunday comes days after the Congress’ resounding win against the BJP in Karnataka, which has excited the party leaders in Tamil Nadu as well. “May 21 is a very emotional day for all of us at the party and for people across the country. The visit of Rahul Gandhi will energise our party workers in the state and across the country,” Congress MP and Tamil Nadu unit Working President MK Vishnu Prasad told this channel.

“The impact of Bharat Jodo Yatra has been seen in Karnataka against politics of hatred. The ball has been set rolling in Karnataka and the yatra’s message will now travel across the country ahead of the 2024 national polls,” he said. Rahul’s visit to Sriperumbudur will come a day after K Siddaramaiah will be sworn in as the new Karnataka chief minister on May 20 amidst a battery of Congress and other opposition party leaders, who have been working together over the past months to take on the BJP in 2024.

The Congress is an ally of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu but is not part of the government. TN chief minister and DMK leader MK Stalin had attended the yatra launch last year and handed over the national flag to Rahul. “Though the yatra had remained briefly in Tamil Nadu, it had left an impact in the state,” said Vishnu Prasad, adding, “We hope to expand our party further in the state. The Karnataka results have made the entire south India BJP free.”

While the Congress is happy playing a junior partner to the DMK in Tamil Nadu, the party fights the BRS in Telangana and is the main opposition in Kerala. Senior leaders from the state and AICC, including MPs, are expected to accompany Rahul on Sunday to Sriperumbudur, said party insiders.

Though no political event is planned for the occasion, Rahul is expected to hold parleys with the state team and may meet the chief minister as well. The Congress had contested 9 seats in Tamil Nadu and one seat in Puducherry in 2019, winning 8 of the 9 seats in Tamil Nadu with the lone loser being veteran leader and former Union Minister, EVKS Elangovan who lost from Theni constituency to O.P. Raveendranath.

“In 2024, our target will be to win all the 9 seats,” said Vishnu Prasad, saying that the party has already deployed observers in various constituencies to mobilise local support and will continue to strengthen the DMK-Congress alliance.