Rahul Gandhi to arrive in Goa tomorrow to launch Congress campaign

PANAJI: Slated to arrive in the state on Friday, Congress national president Rahul Gandhi will formally launch the party’s election campaign in the state when he addresses booth-level workers at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Taleigao. He is also expected to interact with Congress legislators, fishermen and a delegation of mining-affected individuals.

State Congress president Girish Chodankar said the booth meeting will help invigorate the party’s workers and prepare them for the coming Lok Sabha elections and bypolls.

“Congress wants to connect the party’s national leadership with the grassroots,” Chodankar said. “This is the official launch of our campaign.”

While the Congress booth and block-level meeting will start at 5.30pm at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium, Gandhi is expected to arrive and address the workers at 6pm.

“The event will last for 1.5 hours. Based on time available, Gandhi will also meet mining dependents and activists to discuss the coal issue and the recent Coastal Regulation Zone notification,” Chodankar said.

A meeting with MLAs to discuss the paralysis of governance in Goa is also expected.

Both the Lok Sabha constituencies South Goa and North Goa are currently represented by BJP. Chodankar and Goa desk in-charge A Chella Kumar, are confident that the party will win both the seats.

The state will also witness bypolls in Mandrem, Mapusa and Shiroda. Mapusa was represented by BJP and fell vacant after Francis D’Souza passed away last month.