Over 80 public meetings, roadshows by Cong campaign powerhouses before Karnataka elections

Rahul, who campaigned for 10 days, criss-crossed the state attending 20 public meetings and one roadshow till Sunday evening

Putting a premium on unseating the BJP in Karnataka with 2024 elections in mind, the Congress unleashed its three powerhouses Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the poll campaign with the trio criss-crossing the state by holding over 80 public meetings, roadshows and interactions with specific groups.

This is in contrast to Congress campaigns in recent times in the northeast, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. While Kharge addressed just one campaign meeting in Nagaland and Rahul attended one in Meghalaya, both had avoided Tripura in February.

Rahul left it to Priyanka and Kharge in Himachal while he addressed just two rallies in a day in Gujarat while not returning to the western state for a second day despite demands from the state unit.

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Kharge, the party chief and the 'son of the soil', led by example by holding the largest number of 34 public meetings and roadshows, four workers meeting and an interaction by Monday, as the Congress launched its blitzkrieg on April 16 with a rally in Kolar where Rahul Gandhi announced the social justice pitch. Kharge also held five press conferences.

Rahul, who campaigned for ten days, too criss-crossed the state attending 20 public meetings and one roadshow till Sunday evening while Priyanka held 25 public meetings and roadshows. Priyanka also addressed eight corner meetings following the roadshows.

Rahul held five interactions with targeted audiences like sanitation workers, street vendors, youth and women while Priyanka held two women's meets. Rahul also had a bus ride and a meeting with gig workers.

The last day of campaigning is on Monday for the May 10 election. The counting of votes will be on May 13.

Besides public meetings and roadshows in Karnataka, Kharge held four workers meetings while Rahul and Priyanka held one each. While Rahul and Priyanka held a joint meeting, Rahul and Kharge also had joint appearances.

Congress also brought in former president Sonia Gandhi, who has kept away from election campaign since 2019 owing to health reasons, in Karnataka towards the end on May 6 in the Lingayat belt. Both Kharge and Rahul were also present at Sonia's rally in Hubballi.

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Congress sources said there was a specific focus of Congress national leaders in northern and central Karnataka, which usually sends a large number of MLAs.

Towards the end of the campaign, Priyanka was also sent to coastal Karnataka. She campaigned in Moodabidri in coastal Karnataka on May 7, especially after the Congress pitch on Bajrang Dal. Some Congress leaders have cited Moodabidri as one of the couple of seats where this pitch can impact Congress prospects.

While Kharge held a roadshow in Bengaluru earlier, Rahul and Priyanka held a joint public meeting in Shivaji Nagar besides other campaign programmes with Bengaluru in mind. Kharge has decided to station himself in Kalaburagi, his stronghold, in the last two days of the campaign.