BENGALURU: AICC Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to inaugurate Indira Canteens in Bengaluru on August 16, will also address a public meeting at the National Grounds in Basavanagudi, traditionally seen as a BJP bastion.
He will visit Raichur on August 12 to address a public rally as the Congress gears up to start campaigning across the state. Rahul’s visit to Raichur will coincide with the BJP national president Amit Shah’s visit to Bengaluru. Amit Shah will stay in Bengaluru for three days, while Rahul Gandhi will fly down again to Bengaluru on August 16. Congress’ decision for Rahul to address a public rally in the City came in the last moment and is mainly being planned to attack Shah’s rhetoric during his visit.
A senior Congress leader said that they would be looking closely at the issues raised by Shah and the response that it would evoke before deciding on what Rahul’s speech would be. Rahul will target the BJP in Raichur over the NDA government’s refusal to accord special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region despite repeated pleas over the years. The special status to the region was granted under Article 371J of the Constitution when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister.
Congress leaders plan to point out how Siddaramaiah’s government has poured in huge amou nts of money over the years to improve the region. About one lakh people are expected to attend the rally.