Ahead of Gandhi's visit, Congress too has suffered a jolt with party opposition leader in the assembly Siddaramaiah resigning his post, upset over the national leadership denying nomination to his candidate, former union minister C M Ibrahim, for the June 11 Legislative Council election.
Gandhi will address a meeting of the Youth Congress' national executive here before leaving for Davangere to meet heads of district Congress committees and block presidents.
"The Congress hopes Rahul's visit will give the much needed impetus to strengthen the party organisation," Youth Congress leader Mohan Asundi said here.
The party's choice of Hubli and Davangere is seen as significant as they fall in a Lingayat-dominated territory.
BJP in Karnataka is facing tough times with party strongman and Lingayat leader B S Yeddyurappa challenging the national leadership for not reinstating him as Chief Minister after being asked to relinquish his post following his indictment in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining in July last year.
Congress hopes to cash in on the internal bickerings in BJP and come back to power next year when assembly elections are due.
The party benefited hugely from BJP
