Cong campaign picks up for Ramtek bypoll

With four days to go for the Ramtek bypolls, the Congress campaign after a dull start has picked up momentum as a number of top leaders, both from UPA and the state, are seeking votes for its nominee Subodh Mohite.

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, who arrived two-days ago, has taken control of the party's campaign and will be here till polling slated on April 9. He has chalked out a detailed plan during a marathon meeting with local and rural Congress leaders, sources said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh along with Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav will be canvassing for Mohite on Friday, while All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, Margaret Alva, incharge of party affairs of state along with Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Prabha Rau will be participating in a rally on the last-day of campaign on Saturday.

Union Commerce Minister Kamalnath, MP Sachin Pilot, AICC secretary Siddhartha Patel, MPCC spokesman Sanjay Nirupam and NCP leader and PWD minister Chaggan Bhujbal are also campaigning.

Initially the campaign was dull and barring a meeting addressed by Rau of Teli community which has a sizeable presence in the constituency, the aggression was missing.

In Shiv Sena camp, its executive president Uddhav Thackeray embarked on a roadshow in rural areas along with leaders like Ramdas Kadam, Subhash Desai and Neelam Gorhe for party nominee Prakash Jadhav.

Uddhav's roadshow on first-day drew criticism as he drove in a posh car and there was lukewarm response from people yesterday. This is for the first time that Uddhav stayed for such a long time in the Vidharbha region.

Party has lodged a complaint against Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde for giving details of Rs 5,000 crore NTPC's mega power plant at Mouda which they oppose saying its violation of code of election conduct.

Both Natwar and Deshmukh were critical of Congress party, but avoided direct criticism of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.