Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: With a call of 'Hai Taiyaar Hum’ (We Are Ready) in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress is set to sound the poll bugle in the historic central Indian town of Nagpur on December 28, coinciding with the 138th foundation day of the grand old party.
The ground where this gathering is taking place is being referred to as the 'Bharat Jodo Maidan' and the theme of this rally is 'Hai Taiyaar Hum’.
Launching the poll campaign from Nagpur has its own significance too, as the Zero Mile is believed to be the geographical centre of India.
Nagpur in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra was also important during India’s freedom struggle.
In December 1920, Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, raised the slogan of non-cooperation against the tyrannical British rule from Nagpur.
It was from Nagpur that Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister, was announced as the National President of the Congress in 1959.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) with the party’s Nagpur leadership has finalised the arrangements.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, as well as the Congress party’s chief ministers, Leaders of Opposition, Congress Working Committee (CWC) members and state chiefs are slated to be present on the day of the rally.
"The fact that the 138th foundation day of Congress is being celebrated in the city of Nagpur, which has such a historical background, is a matter of pride for the party workers. All the preparations for the rally have been completed,” Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said on Monday in Nagpur.
Incidentally, Nagpur is also the headquarters of RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP.
Announcing the rally, Patole took the opportunity to lash out out at the BJP: "Today, a systematic plan is being implemented to end democracy and the Constitution... the BJP government has created an unjust and impartial system. The problems of inflation, unemployment, farmers and workers have become dire,” he said.
“It is the responsibility of the Congress party to end this tyrannical system created by the BJP government, to create a corruption-free India, to create a just India, to create employment, to reduce inflation, to give justice to farmers and workers, to save democracy and the constitution, and for this purpose, the theme of 'Hai Taiyaar Hum' has been proposed. Lakhs of people from all over the state will be present for this rally in Nagpur,” added Patole, a former Speaker.
Answering questions on EVMs, Patole said that people have doubts regarding the EVMs and the Election Commission should take note of it. “If people think their vote goes to another party, then that should be considered seriously. If the people are demanding that they should bring back the ballot paper, then the Central government and the Election Commission should take note of it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself opposed the EVMs when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat,” he said.