Congress's 'Hai Taiyaar Hum' rally tomorrow: What you should know

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be present at the event expected to be attended by more than one lakh party workers.

The Congress is all set to sound the poll bugle for next year's Lok Sabha elections, with the launch of 'Hai Taiyaar Hum' (We are ready) rally in the central town of Nagpur on Thursday (December 28), a day coinciding with the 138th foundation day of the party.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be present at the event expected to be attended by more than one lakh party workers.

Here's what you should know about the 'Hai Taiyaar Hum' rally:

1) While the theme of this grand rally is 'Hai Taiyaar Hum’, the ground where the event is taking place is being referred to as the 'Bharat Jodo Maidan'.

2) Launching the poll campaign from Nagpur has its own significance as the city is believed to be the geographical centre of India.

3) Nagpur in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra was also important during India’s freedom struggle.

4) In December 1920, Mahatma Gandhi 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.

5) 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.

6) Incidentally, Nagpur is also the headquarters of RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP.

7) The rally was announced by Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole, who on Monday, said, "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."

“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.

(With DHNS inputs)