Demonetisation: Rahul Gandhi to protest in poll-bound states

May hit the road from Dec 16, the last day of Parliament's washed-out winter session

With Parliament not functioning over protests against the government's demonetisation move, Rahul Gandhi has got into campaign mode and will take the controversial note ban issue to the people in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat over the next week.

Rahul Gandhi has alleged that demonetisation is a huge scam and recently claimed that he has incriminating evidence of corruption against PM Modi. 

Sources said Rahul will hit the road right from December 16, the last day of the washed out winter session of parliament, by addressing a rally in Fatorda in Goa. The Congress vice president will further criss-cross the country addressing rallies in Belgaum in Karnataka on December 17, Jaunpur in UP on December 19, Mehsana in Gujarat on December 21, and Dehradun in Uttarakhand on December 23.

While UP, Goa and Uttarakhand will have assembly elections early next year, Gujarat will go to polls in the second half of 2017. However, Congress-ruled Karnataka has no polls next year.

Sources said Rahul has been advised to avoid the 10-day festive season including Christmas and New Year that sets in across the country from December 25 to January 5.

In Fatorda village in South Goa, Rahul will address party workers at the culmination of a 15-day foot march against the BJP government.

Jaunpur seat in eastern UP is held by the Congress and Rahul's rally is expected to influence the voters in that part of the state.

Sources said Rahul may address another rally in Bahraich, also in east UP.

Mehsana in Gujarat is significant as it has majority population of the Patel (Patidar) community which has been up in arms against the BJP government over reservation issue. 

Rahul had a few months ago asked the local party leaders to tap into the Patel community which can swing the polls.

In Dehradun, Rahul's aim is to support Chief Minister Harish Rawat who proved his loyalties during the political crisis in the state when a section of party lawmakers joined the BJP and the centre imposed president's rule in Uttarakhand. The Supreme Court later restored the Rawat government.

Sources said Rahul, who has been attacking PM Modi over the note ban, will highlight during these rallies how the policy's implementation has been a mess putting millions of poor into discomfort and resulting in over 100 deaths.

Rahul's prime charge is that large sums of money deposited in banks post demonetisation will be used by PM to cover up the unrecovered loans to select rich people.

In a strategy session chaired by Rahul on Wednesday, party lawmakers and state units have been asked to step up protests over demonetisation over the coming days.