Congress president Rahul Gandhi is visiting Meghalaya’s West Jaiñtia Hills district on Tuesday to kick-start the election campaign for the ruling party in the poll-bound State.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee working president, Vincent H Pala said that the Congress president will visit Jowai, the district headquarter of West Jaiñtia Hills district in the afternoon after which, he will return to Shillong to attend a music concert in the evening.
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Gandhi is expected to land in a helicopter at around 1 pm. He is scheduled to address party workers at Jowai from 2.30 pm to 3.15 pm.
Gandhi will attend an executive committee meeting of the state Congress unit from 4.45 pm to 5.30 pm in the state capital.
Later, he will attend the music concert ‘Celebrate Peace and Way of Life’ a celebration of Meghalaya’s music, culture and way of life of the people of the State.
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The concert is being organized at fifth ground of the Polo Ground in Shillong, where Gandhi will be the chief guest.
The concert will feature local bands – Soulmate, Colors, Blue Temptation, along with Khmih (children’s choir), Benedict Hynñiewta, Lamphang Syiemlieh, Dewdrops, Da- Thymmei, Emperical tribe, Note’s of A’rongga, besides cultural troupes and DJ Elton.
According to AICC coordinator in-charge of elections in Meghalaya, Yashomita Thakur, the concert would be a celebration of peace and way of life in Meghalaya.
“We want to spread through this concert the message of peace, liberty and secularism,” she said.
Meanwhile, Gandhi would also interact with various religious heads including church leaders besides a meeting with heads of traditional institutions.
According to Pala, the Congress president’s visit to Garo Hills would be re-scheduled as of now, the Special Protection Group (SPG) rejected the Pawan Hans chopper to be used for ferrying Gandhi to Tura due to its age factor.
Pala informed the SPG rejected the Pawan Hans chopper since it was over 20 years old.
However, Pala said the Congress president will visit Meghalaya three times during this election to campaign for the party.
Meghalaya will go to polls on February 27, and the Congress has already announced 56 candidates from 57 constituencies where Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma will contest from two seats, his home constituency, Ampati and from Songsak constituency, being represented by National People’s Party legislator, Nihim D Shira.