By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Oct: With the assembly elections drawing near in Uttarakhand, political activities are seeing a surge in the state already. Sources in Congress have claimed that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to address a public rally in Dharchula in Pithoragarh district next month, while Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is expected to hold a public meeting in Pauri district as part of the party’s preparations to intensify its political campaign in Uttarakhand.
State Congress president Ganesh Godiyal also claimed today that the dates for the two proposed rallies would be finalised during a meeting of the party’s national leadership in New Delhi on 1 November. He said discussions regarding the programmes are underway and a final schedule would be announced after consultations with the central leadership.
The proposed rally by Rahul Gandhi in Dharchula is being viewed as politically significant given the strategic importance of the border region. The Congress is expected to use the platform to strengthen its outreach in the state’s frontier areas and highlight issues concerning residents of the border belt.
Similarly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s proposed public meeting in Pauri is expected to focus on issues affecting the hill districts. Party leaders indicated that the event would be used to raise concerns linked to the mountain regions and reinforce the Congress’ engagement with voters in rural and remote parts of the state.
According to party leaders, the rallies are likely to focus on a range of issues concerning Uttarakhand, including the Ankita Bhandari murder case, unemployment, migration, land-related matters and the demand for protection of original domicile rights. Other state-specific concerns are also expected to feature prominently during the public meetings.
Congress leaders said that both the rallies are likely to be held after Diwali. Through these programmes, the party is seeking to sharpen its political campaign in the state and mobilise support ahead of future electoral battles.
