After NCP Split, Congress To Hold Padayatra, Bus Rallies In Maharashtra Ahead of Polls Next Year

The Congress will embark on massive outreach campaigns in Maharashtra ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly elections next year.

From left: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, president Mallikarjun Kharge, and former MP Rahul Gandhi ahead of the meeting in Delhi.

Source : PTI

The Congress, hit by the rebellion in its Mahavikas Aghadi ally NCP, is moving to strengthen its roots. The Congress has decided on a three-point strategy to reinforce its root-level strength in Maharasthra, Congress leader KC Venugopal said on Tuesday. He was talking to mediapersons after a meeting with president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Chalking out the party's strategy for the state ahead of the Loksabha elections and the assembly polls next year, Venugopal said: "Every senior leader will have to take responsibility for their Parliamentary constituencies." 

Secondly, the party will launch a massive padayatra under a senior leader in each district of Maharashtra. This padayatra or foot march will be conducted in September and will be on the lines of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. KC Venugopal said that the Yatra's Maharashtra leg was one of the biggest in the country. Over the next two months, the Congress hold a 'bus yatra' across the state to connect with the remotest parts.

"Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have directed us to get into election campaigning mode from tomorrow. We are confident [of winning the polls next year]. The way BJP is trying to demolish democracy in Maharashtra... The MVA will make a clean sweep in the elections," he said. He accused the BJP of trying to divide political opponents using ED and money.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole reasserted that the party is united and no one will leave the party (as in the case of MVA allies Shiv Sena and NCP). "Congress will emerge as the largest party whenever election will be held in the future as people have accepted it and you will see the results," he said.

Speaking about the Leader of Opposition's post, both Patole and Venugopal said that a decision will be taken two days before the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. The LoP's post was left vacant by the rebellion of NCP's Ajit Pawar, who is now the Deputy CM.