Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will kick-start his party’s poll campaign on Wednesday from Patidar dominated Mahesana town in North Gujarat by addressing a public meeting.
The polls are scheduled in December 2017. In wake of ongoing pro-quota stir of Patidars, Gujarat Congress leadership decided to organise Gandhi’s meeting at the Patidar heartland, believed to be epicentre of pro-quota agitation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a farmers’ rally at another North Gujarat town Deesa on December 10. In that rally, Modi’s speech was focused on his Government’s decision on demonetisation. In a counter strategy, the state Congress leadership decided to hold their national leader’s rally in Mahesana, around 90 km from Deesa. More over PM Modi’s home town Vadnagar falls under Mahesana district.
Sources in Gujarat Congress said that, apart from demonetisation, Rahul would raise issues of pro-quota Patidar agitation and flogging of Dalit youth in Saurashtra region. Congress has another reason to organise Rahul’s rally in Mahesana as the grand old party is enjoying majority in Mahesana district panchayat as well as Taluka Panchayat.
“Unlike previous assembly polls, the opposition Congress party is hopping to increase seats in wake of pro-quota Patidar agitation coupled with flogging of Dalit youth in Una town. Now the Congress party would add one more issue – difficulties people are facing post demonetization,” said a senior Congress leader in Gujarat.
Since past couple of days all the senior Congress leaders including Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Bharatsinh Solanki, leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela, political advisor to the AICC president Sonia Gandhi Ahemad Patel and others personally visited Mahesana to ensure success of Rahul’s public meeting. In fact the Gujarat Congress leaders are claiming that at least 2 lakh people would attend the public meeting.