LS polls: Sonia Gandhi, Kharge among star campaigners of Congress in MP

Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been named as star campaigners of the party among 40 others for Madhya Pradesh which will vote in four phases in upcoming general elections.

Polling for the 29 constituencies is scheduled to be held in the first four phases starting April 19.

The Congress is facing the challenge of political relevance in the central state in view of the near wipeout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections when it could win just one seat- Chhindwara. The party was further decimated in the assembly elections held in November 2023.

The names of former MP chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh also figured in the list along with former MP Congress presidents Arun Yadav and Kantilal Bhuria.
 

Former chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, respectively, also figure on the list.

The list names eight legislators, including Madhya Pradesh leader of the opposition Umang Singhar. Rajya Sabha members Ashok Singh and Vivek Tankha are also named.

AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal, Sachin Pilot, Jitendra Singh, and MP Congress unit president Jitu Patwari will also hit the campaign trail as star campaigners of Congress.

The Congress has so far declared its candidates for 22 constituencies. The party will contest 28 seats, while the Khajuraho constituency is allotted to the Samajwadi Party under a seat-sharing agreement.