IMPHAL: AICC vice-president
Rahul Gandhi has been roped in to counter Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in the Manipur elections. Rahul will address a rally in
Imphal city on February 28, three days after Modi's visit.
Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has approached AICC chief Sonia Gandhi to counter Modi by sending the Gandhi scion for campaigning.
On the other hand, BJP has made elaborate arrangements for Modi's rally at Langjing Achouba ground in Patsoi constituency of Imphal West. Earlier, the party had planned to hold the rally at Kangla Fort. But the venue was changed after Irom Sharmila's People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) party lodged a complaint with the EC saying that Kangla is a religious site and should not be allowed for poll campaign.
On Tuesday, Ibobi chaired a meeting of all Congress MLAs at the
State Congress Bhawan
here to chalk out a strategy for Rahul's rally. A senior Congress leader told TOI that Rahul will address a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung at Palace Compound, Imphal. "We need Rahulji to defend any attack launched by Modi against the Ibobi government," said the Congress leader.
Congress sources said the party has decided to bring Rahul to Imphal as BJP's rise is believed to be more in the urban areas.