Advani will tour Maharashtra in two phases

Senior BJP leader L K Advani's yatra to take on the UPA government on issues of corruption and blackmoney will cover Maharashtra in two phases starting from October 17, when it enters the Vidarbha region.

"On October 17 and 18, the yatra will reach Maharashtra and it will cover Nagpur, Wardha and Yavatmal districts following which it will proceed to Andhra Pradesh," state BJP leader Atul Shah told reporters here.

Advani will tour the remaining parts of the state like Sindhudurg in Konkan region, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Raigad, Mumbai and adjoining Thane district from November 2 onwards, he said, adding on November 5, the yatra would leave the state. Shah said party president Nitin Gadkari would welcome Advani in Nagpur, while in Mumbai and Thane, Deputy leader of BJP in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde would participate in the yatra.

Advani will tour parts of Vidarbha region from October 17 and is expected to address a press conference the following day. He is also slated to address the media in the second phase of the yatra in Kolhapur on November 3, Pune on November 4 and in Mumbai on November 5.