Sonia Gandhi to address first poll rally in four years

New Delhi, May 5

Leaving no stone unturned to emerge victorious in Karnataka, the Congress has roped in party stalwart Sonia Gandhi to address an election rally in Hubbali on Saturday.

Sonia will be accompanied by her son and former party president Rahul Gandhi. Sonia hasn’t addressed any election rally since the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. On April 11, 2019, she addressed the media after filing her nomination from Raebareli.

The Hubbali rally will be her first poll engagement in four years. Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar, who joined the Congress on being denied ticket by the BJP, is the Congress candidate from the Hubbali-Dharwad (Central) constituency.

Shettar’s prospects are expected to get a boost with Sonia addressing a rally on his turf. The Congress is also hoping to send a message to the state’s strong Lingayat community that it is backing Shettar, a senior community leader, to the hilt.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot also recently undertook a whirlwind tour of the Hubbali area to campaign for Shettar. The brother-sister duo of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi have also been busy campaigning for the May 10 Assembly elections in the state.

Rahul has so far addressed 17 rallies and Priyanka 19. “Be it Indira Gandhi’s victory from the Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat in 1978 or Sonia’s entry into Parliament from Bellary in 1999 by defeating BJP candidate Sushma Swaraj, Karnataka has always played a crucial role in the party’s revival,” said Ajay Singh Yadav, chairperson of Congress’ OBC cell.