Ahead of the formal launch of the party’s electioneering for the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls, leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will take part in a series of programs during his visit to sugar-rich Kolhapur district in western Maharashtra on October 4 and 5.

The Congress is planning to use Rahul’s two-day visit to Kolhapur to set the tone for the party’s campaign for the State Assembly polls, for which the schedule is expected to be notified by the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the declaration of the results in the Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana Assembly polls on October 8.         

Rahul, who will arrive in Kolhapur on October 4, will unveil a huge statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji at Kasba Bawda.

On the following evening, the Congress leader will witness a dance drama – in which more 2,000 participants and half of them will sport dresses of Chhatrapati Shivaji. 

On the morning of October 5, Rahul will pay his respects at the memorial of Maratha king and social reformer Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu, the first Maharaja (1900-1922) of the princely state of Kolhapur.

Later he will participate in a conference organised to commemorate the Indian Constitution.

“We have invited more than representatives from all religions and different NGOs. At this conference, Rahul Gandhi will interact with different sections of the society,” former State minister and current MLC Satej Patil, who is hosting Rahul’s two-day visit to Kolhapur, said. 

Senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Ramesh Chennithala, former Chief Ministers Sushilkumar Shinde, Prithviraj Chavan  state Congress President Nana Patole, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat will remain present on the occasion.