Even as UP Congress chief Raj Babbar accompanied by CM candidate Sheila Dikshit and AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad will be reaching Gorakhpur on Friday to start the Yatras, vice-president Rahul Gandhi is likely to hold a rally in September first week to bolster the party’s campaign for 2017 Assembly polls.
“Though Rahul’s program is yet to be finalized we are planning for a big rally in Deoria in Septmeber first week to boost the party’s poll prospect,” asserted an MlA closed to the Gandhi family on Wednesday.
“Members of poll strategist Prashant Kishor’s team has already visited Deoria for assessment and soon, a date will be announced,” he added.
Meanwhile Chairman of UPCC Media Cell Satyadeo Tripathi confirmed in lucknow on Wednesday that Ghulam Nabi Azad, Raj Babbar and Shiela Dikshit will reach Gorakhpur on Friday and address the press. later in the day, Raj Babbar and other leaders will hold a rally in Gorakhpur.
On Friday an Saturday, two separate bus yatras – one led by Raj Babbar and the other by Shiela Dikshit will be flagged off, respectively. The Yatra led by Shiela Dikshit would reach Kushinagar where a rally will be organised after which it will reach Maharajganj in the evening. In Maharajganj, a working meet will be organised and the Yatra will return to Gorakhpur and conclude.
The other Yatra led by Babbar will head to Sant Kabir Nagar on Friday where a workers meet will be organised. The Yatra will later proceed to Basti and members would halt for the night. On Saturday, a press conference will be convened before holding a rally. later in the day, the Yatra will go to Siddharthnagar where after a meeting, it will also return to Gorakhpur on Friday night and conclude.