New Delhi: The Congress is planning an aggressive campaign in poll-bound Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and UT Jammu and Kashmir following an internal assessment that the grand old party is in a good position there. As part of the plan, a Congress Working Committee meeting is likely to be held in Mumbai on August 20, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, to send out a big message, said party insiders.
Besides, rallies of both Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge are being planned in the four states, the party insiders said. Recently, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi had said during a meeting of MPs that the grand old party was in a comfortable position in the four-poll-bound states but must not become complacent.
Accordingly, a meeting of all All India Congress Committee (AICC) functionaries and state unit chiefs to be chaired by Kharge on August 13 in Delhi will chalk out the plans for the coming Assembly polls.
"Our campaign is going strong in Haryana. All the senior state leaders are on the ground conducting mass contact drives. We have received a very good response from the ticket seekers which shows public confidence in the party. Rallies of Rahul Gandhi and Kharge will also be held," AICC in charge of Haryana Dipak Babaria told ETV Bharat.
In Jharkhand, Rahul Gandhi is likely to launch a Congress yatra by the month end which will focus on around 35 assembly seats the grand old party is focusing on as part of its coalition with JMM and RJD. Rahul extended birthday wishes to his friend and Chief Minister Hemant Soren on August 10. Later, AICC in charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir discussed the coming polls with the Chief Minister on August 11.
In Maharashtra, the Congress has started region-wise workers’ conclaves which will cover Vidarbha, Latur, Nanded, Amravati and Mumbai regions over the coming days.
"The exercise aims at preparing the ground for the coming polls. Workers are motivated and we get feedback on ground-level issues besides who are the strong contenders there. A big show is being planned for August 20," Mumbai Congress working president Charan Singh Sapra told ETV Bharat.
Besides the focus on poll-bound states, a nationwide agitation over the fresh allegations against the Adani group in the latest Hindenberg report may also be planned.
The report of the US-based short-seller has triggered a fresh war of words between the opposition and the Narendra Modi government which has rejected the charges and blamed the opposition party for trying to spread economic anarchy. The Congress, which is demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the allegations against Adani and the removal of SEBI chief Madhabi Buch, is miffed over reports that Rahul Gandhi may again be summoned by the ED in the alleged National Herald corruption case.
"They questioned him for around 50 hours in 2022 but nothing came out. Instead, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi both emerged stronger. The Centre is again going to repeat that mistake in order to cover up their wrong-doings," added Sapra.
