Rahul Gandhi’s visit to mark beginning of Congress campaign in Maharashtra

This will be Kharge’s second visit to Maharashtra in three weeks. Last month, he attended a joint MVA programme in Mumbai, commemorating the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. With the Maharashtra Assembly polls anticipated within the next two months, the party’s national leadership is dedicating significant time and resources to the state.

Sources within the party indicate that both Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi will be touring various locations in Maharashtra leading up to the campaign’s official launch. “Our national leadership will be very much visible in Maharashtra throughout the next two months. Kharge ji, Rahul ji and Priyanka ji will be making visits to the state,” said a senior Congress leader from Maharashtra.

In addition to leveraging the national leadership, Congress’ campaign strategy includes decentralising responsibilities to state leaders. During the Lok Sabha elections, regional stalwarts were assigned specific constituencies that minimised infighting and allowed each leader to concentrate on their area of influence. This approach will be replicated for the assembly elections.

The party aims to maintain the momentum of its performance in the Lok Sabha polls, where Congress emerged as the leading party in Maharashtra with 13 seats, and with an independent MP from Sangli pledging support. The strategy involves focusing on local dynamics and empowering local leaders to make decisions to achieve favourable results.

To counter welfare schemes such as the CM Majhi Ladki Bahin announced by the Mahayuti government, the MVA parties will release a joint manifesto. There will be joint meetings of party cadres across the state and coordinated efforts through joint war rooms to ensure better collaboration among the allies.

“We are focused on winning the assembly polls and we will be contesting the election in an alliance. Therefore, we are focused on ensuring joint campaigns as well,” said the leader.

Protests on the lines of the Jode Mara (hit with a shoe) campaign held by the MVA over the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be held throughout the state. There will be protests on the issue of women safety and law and order situation in the state. Unemployment, MSP for crops, crop insurance and farm loan waiver would be the core of the joint protest.

To appeal to urban voters, the party is also highlighting urban infrastructure issues, such as potholes, stalled projects and corruption. The Mumbai Youth Congress has been actively organising protests on these issues.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole stated, “Congress is focused on real issues such as inflation, unemployment, and the deteriorating law and order situation. There is significant anger against the current government, and we believe that as in the Lok Sabha elections, the people of Maharashtra will defeat the Mahayuti in the assembly polls as well.”