Raipur:
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi arrived in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, on Friday afternoon to attend the party’s three-day 85th plenary session that started here this morning.
Tribal folk performers wearing colorful dresses gave a grand welcome to the Gandhis at Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur to the beating of drums. The performers also presented a traditional dance to welcome the two leaders, as they arrived on a special plane shortly after 2:30 p.m.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, his counterpart from Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhivinder Singh Sukhu, Congress Secretary KC Venugopal, Congress Leader Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja, State Congress Chief Mohan Markam and other senior party leaders welcomed them at the airport.
The two leaders then headed to the venue of the plenary session at Rajyotsav Sthal in Nava Raipur, about 12 km from the airport. Their convoy was followed by a long line of cars of Congress leaders and workers.
A long podium had been set up along the road in front of the airport where a huge crowd of party operatives gathered to welcome the two senior leaders. They were seen dancing to DJ music.
Podiums were also set up at various locations to welcome the Gandhis on their way to the Congress conclave.
The route was lined with billboards from the senior congress leaders, a few of them highlighting messages propagated during Rahul Gandhi’s recently concluded Bharat Jodo Yatra – his foot march from Kanyakumari to Srinagar.
The plenary session will take place from 24 to 26 February.
Speaking to PTI at the airport, State Health Minister TS Singh Deo claimed the grand conclave would “energize and motivate party workers” ahead of the polls scheduled for later this year.
“When such a grand event is held, the energy is transferred from the top down. When the congressional cadre is motivated, they reach out to the people with such enthusiasm and conviction that this is what we want to do for you (people),” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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