Politics
Congress leaders (L to R) — Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi (Photo: Congress for INDIA/X)
On Thursday (28 December), the Congress is gearing up to launch its campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with a grand rally named 'Hain Tayyar Hum' in Nagpur, Maharashtra, coinciding with the party's 139th foundation day.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole expressed the historical significance of the event during a press conference, emphasising the party's message of change to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level as reported by The New Indian Express.
The mega rally in Nagpur, home to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) headquarters and 'Deekshabhoomi,' where Dr B R Ambedkar embraced Buddhism, is expected to draw substantial attention.
Party leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are slated to address the gathering.
With the theme 'Hain Tayyar Hum' (we are ready), the rally aims to send a positive message across the country and serve as the starting point for the Congress's campaign leading up to the next Lok Sabha polls.
Party MLA Nitin Raut highlighted extensive preparations for the event at Dighori in Nagpur, anticipating the participation of lakhs of people and Congress supporters.
He criticised the BJP for alleged misuse of investigative agencies and suppression of opposition voices. Patole stated that, on the Congress's foundation day, a message of change would be conveyed by pledging to challenge the authoritarian BJP government.
Patole accused the BJP of intimidating opposition leaders and highlighted issues such as inflation, problems faced by farmers, workers, and youth, asserting that the Congress's battle is to save the nation from its current challenges.
Congress MLA Raut explained the choice of Nagpur for the rally, citing the alignment of Congress's ideology with that of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, contrasting it with the RSS ideology prevalent in the region.
Raut expressed confidence that the public would resonate with the Congress's slogan, and the rally would mark the beginning of the party's campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
As part of the schedule, Kharge is set to conduct a meeting with Congress general secretaries and other senior party leaders on Thursday (28 December) evening.