Rahul Gandhi on two-day visit to Kerala, to participate in tractor rally today

KALPETTA: Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi, reached Kerala on Sunday evening to take part in a host of events during the two-day visit. During the visit, Gandhi will also attend a programme to mark the culmination of padayatra being undertaken by state leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

On Monday, Gandhi will inaugurate Kudumbashree Sangamon at Poothadi, a village near Kenichira in Wayanad at 10 am. He will then inaugurate the Gandhi statue at a School at Meppadi. In a show of solidarity, the Congress leader will also attend a farmer tractor rally from Thrikkaipetta to Muttil as a mark of support to the ongoing agitation in the national capital. The rally will begin at around 11 am and see participation from hundreds of people with tractors.

On February 23, he will go to Thiruvananthapuram after inaugurating the cancer detection and treatment centre at the government community health centre in Edavanna town.

The visit comes ahead of the assembly elections set to take place in the month of May.

For Congress, Kerala is a crucial state. In the last Lok Sabha election, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) had won 19 out of 20 seats and going by the poll history of the state, where incumbents never get a chance to continue in power, it may be the turn of the UDF but local body results really worry the party.

In January, Gandhi said that the UDF will sweep the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala and the party will field a mix of youth and experienced candidates to achieve this.