RAIPUR: Speculations are rife that Congress president Sonia Gandhi is unlikely to visit Chhattisgarh on Friday to attend the state government’s programme “Rajyotsav-2019”.
Gandhi is scheduled to arrive to inaugurate a 3-day event at the science college ground in the state capital on Friday.
Though there is no official confirmation about calling-off her programme, the highly placed sources in the state secretariat revealed that the scheduled visit appears “uncertain”.
The apparent reasons adding impetus to the speculations are the health grounds and the personnel of Special Protection Group (SPG) meant to provide security cover to the Gandhi family yet to arrive in Raipur for inspection of places ahead of her visit to Raipur.
Nevertheless, the preparations are on full swing for the upcoming event. CM Bhupesh Baghel, state ministers and senior officials had inspected the science college ground where the main events are going to be held.
This is the first time in 15 years that the Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav is being observed under the Congress regime. CM Baghel has invited Sonia Gandhi to grace the inaugural function as the chief guest.
“Our party president has given consent to visit Raipur. The preparation remains in full swing to welcome her,” said Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, chairman-Congress media cell.
The visit of Sonia Gandhi to Chhattisgarh will be her first after the Congress party came to power in December 2018 in the state. She neither campaigned for the party in 2018 state Assembly polls nor during the Lok Sabha elections this year in Chhattisgarh.