Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi are likely to address a public rally to be held in the region of Mandla and Jhabua this month.
A senior Congress leader said that both the national leaders would address a public rally in the region which are dominated by tribal people.
Tribals constitute around 20 per cent of the total population of the State and majority of the population is concentrated in the districts of Dhar, Jhabua and Mandla, which have more than 50 per cent tribal population.
In Khargone, Chhindwara, Seoni, Sidhi and Shahdol districts around 30 to 50 per cent population consists of tribals.“list of candidates for the Assembly elections will be announced on October 25,” a party official said.
According to party sources, plans for Sonia’s visit to Mahakaushal and Bundelkhand region were also being chalked out and the final dates will be fixed after the Dusherra festival.
“We are focusing on the tribal votes as they have traditionally voted for the Congress. We will highlight the steps taken by the UPA Government to help them. This will be a part of the election manifesto which is likely to be released on October 25,”party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.
A similar rally to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi at Shahdol on October 17 has already been fixed. “The proposed rallies of Sonia and Rahul in Shahdol, a tribal belt, are part of a strategy to focus on the tribal votes” a party insider said.
Appointment of senior tribal leader Kantilal Bhuria as the State party president in April 2011 is also seen as a step in this direction. Three constituencies in Shahdol district are reserved for the scheduled tribes. Right now all these three seats are with the BJP. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Vijendra Sisodia termed the proposed rallies of Congress a poll gimmick.
“They did many such rallies in Uttar Pradesh and stayed in the houses of the poor, but what happenedIJ They lost dismally there. Visiting once in every five years is not going to bring them any vote,” said Sisodia.
In Umaria district, the BJP has two seats. Two seats of the predominantly tribal district of Dindori district are with the Congress. Similarly, another tribal dominated seat Anuppur is with the Congress while Jaisingh Nagar, which falls in Shahdol, is with the BJP.