As BJP bigwigs press the throttle in Haryana, Congress plans Rahul Gandhi’s poll yatra

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is likely to embark on a yatra across several districts of Haryana from September 30 till October 3, the last day of campaigning in the poll-bound state.

Polling for the 90-member state Assembly will take place on October 5.

The Congress, aiming to regain power after a decade, has been less active in campaigning as compared to the BJP, which has been going all out to woo voters with party bigwigs leading from the front.

The state has so far seen three programmes, including two rallies, by PM Narendra Modi and seven rallies by Home Minister Amit Shah. Besides, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari have held several public meetings. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma and Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav have also been camping in the state.

For the Congress, former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, supported by his son Deepender Hooda, is primarily running the show. Sirsa MP and former Union Minister Kumari Selja joined the campaign only two days ago.

While Rahul has so far addressed two rallies in the state, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is yet to make an appearance. To intensify its campaign in the last week, the Congress is planning the yatra which will cover the GT Road belt, southern parts and areas in Rohtak, Sonepat and Jhajjar districts.

A senior party leader said a route map had been proposed, with clear focus on constituencies where the party had a strong chance of victory. Hooda said Rahul would largely travel by road and details were being worked out. Priyanka is also expected to join him for a day or two. She will hold separate rallies too, sources said.

It is proposed that there would be short stopovers in constituencies. The campaign will be primarily in the form of a roadshow, similar to the ones taken out in Telangana and Karnataka during elections in these states last year. AICC national secretary Alok Sharma, meanwhile, said the discussions were at a preliminary stage.

Sweating it out

• PM Narendra Modi has so far addressed two rallies in Haryana and Home Minister Amit Shah seven
• Yogi, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari too have held several public meetings
• For the Congress, former CM Bhupinder Hooda is primarily running the campaign
• Rahul has so far addressed two rallies; Priyanka Gandhi is yet to make an appearance