Bloc plans rallies in Patna, Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati

The INDIA bloc is planning to hold rallies across four different regions, beginning with Patna in October and a grand culmination in the national capital.

After Congress' Kamal Nath refused to hold a common rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the Opposition leaders are now discussing a plan to hold rallies in Patna, Nagpur, Chennai and Guwahati. As per sources, the plan was mooted by CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury in a meeting with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad in Patna earlier this week. The leaders are likely to discuss this with Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday.

The alliance may take up specific issues at the rallies - caste census and social justice in Patna, so-called attack on Constitution and constitutional bodies in Nagpur, Centre-state relations in Chennai and violence in Manipur and lack of development in Guwahati. The bloc is planning to announce poll promises at the grand show of strength in New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan that may include unemployment allowance (Congress' main plank in 2019 polls), introduction of urban employment guarantee scheme, strengthening of Food Security Act, restoration of Old Pension Scheme and free healthcare.


Congress sources said Nath's refusal was politically prudent as INDIA bloc rally with Kharge sharing stage with AAP's Arvind Kejriwal would have been difficult to justify to voters when Congress and AAP have no tie-up for MP polls. "The Opposition alliance needs to show a united front and hold at least one rally before the festival season begins in October-end," said a Congress leader.