Rahul to address election rallies in Vidarbha this week

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will launch the Maharashtra phase of his party's Lok Sabha poll campaign from Vidarbha during a two-day visit beginning April 4, party sources said.

Gandhi is scheduled to hold public rallies in Nagpur, Chandrapur and Wardha, which are among the seven Lok Sabha constituencies that will vote on April 11 in the first round, the sources said.

In Pune, which will vote on April 23 in the third phase, he is set to hold an interactive session with students, they said.

Gandhi had held rallies in Mumbai and Dhule last month before the model code of conduct came into force on March 10.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also likely to campaign for the party in the state, the sources said, adding programme details have not been finalised yet.

The Congress is contesting 25 out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, which sends the second highest number of MPs to the Lower House of Parliament.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the party had won only two seats.