MUMBAI: After much criticism for not campaigning in Maharahstra and over his foreign trip ahead of assembly elections in Maharashtra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is all set to address a rally in Mumbai’s Dharavi area this Sunday.
Mumbai Regional Congress President Eknath Gaikwad, whose daughter and former minister Varsha is contesting the election, said that Gandhi will address a rally at Dharavi on Sunday evening.
It will be Rahul Gandhi’s first campaign event in the state ahead of the October 21 elections. He had conducted his last rally in the state on April 27, the day when campaigning for the Lok Sabha ended in Maharashtra.
During Rahul Gandhi’s tenure as party chief, Varsha Gaikwad was AICC secretary for Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.
Congress is contesting 31 seats in Mumbai, leaving five for the ally NCP. In 2014, Congress had won only five seats in the metropolis.
State congress sources said Gandhi will also address a rally in Latur where former chief minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh’s sons Amit and Dheeraj are contesting from Latur City and Latur Rural seats, respectively.
A rally in Vidarbha is also being planned early in the day on Sunday, sources said.
Gandhi will return to the state for another round of campaigning on October 15, party sources said.