Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses party workers in Bhopal.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has begun his address to party workers in Bhopal. He arrived today in Madhya Pradesh to launch his party's campaign in the state, which is expected to go to polls. Mr Gandhi arrived at Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport in Madhya Pradesh. He started a roadshow, in an open bus, which will cover a distance of around 18 kilometres long. The roadshow commenced from Bhopal's Lalghati Chowk, near the airport and will pass through old city areas including Royal Market and Peer Gate, and will reach BHEL Dussehra Maidan.
Rahul Gandhi will also seek blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests, Madhya Pradesh Congress' spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi told news agency Press Trust of India on Sunday.
Madhya Pradesh Congress' state unit bestowed a title of 'Shiv Bhakt' on the Congress president. Several hoardings welcoming 'Shiv Bhakt Rahul Gandhiji' have come up in Bhopal.
Here are the LIVE Updates from Rahul Gandhi's visit to Madhya Pradesh:
I am the Congress Party President. My first responsibility is to serve the people of Madhya Pradesh. My second responsibility is towards the Congress party workers not the leaders.
More points from Rahul Gandhi's speech:
RSS is not the place for women. In the Congress party we want to place more women
We will start exclusive police stations to fight crimes against women
We think that everyone should receive voice in Madhya Pradesh. We will meet the tribals. Congress is for all
Vijay Mallya is not a thief for the government. If they can let such people go and not recover debts from them, they must waive off the loans of the farmers who work so hard
Your chief minister has made 20,000 promises but he never speaks of unemployment. The youth of Madhya Pradesh need employment.
Behind very product, you see the words "Made In China". our government will change that into "Made In Bhopal"
Rahul Gandhi while addressing party workers in Bhopal :
They (the BJP government) ruined your education and employment opportunities.
In countries like China, 50,000 youth and given employment in 24 hours as opposed to India where only 450 young people get employment
Rahul Gandhi arrives at Dussera Maidan to interact with party workers
In Pics: Congress workers participate in Congress' Sankalp Yatra in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is greeted by supporters during Bhopal's Congress Sankalp Yatra
Watch: Rahul Gandhi Launches Congress Campaign In Madhya PradeshCongress president Rahul Gandhi has arrived today in Madhya Pradesh to launch his party's campaign in the state, which is expected to go to polls. He started a roadshow, in an open bus, which will cover a distance of around 18 kilometres long. The roadshow commenced from Bhopal's Lalghati Chowk, near the airport.
Rahul Gandhi meets Kamal Nath after reaching Bhopal
Rahul Gandhi's roadshow in Bhopal has begun, huge crowds have gathered
"Rahul Gandhi's track record hasn't been good for his party," says Madhya Pradesh minister
"Rahul Gandhi's track record hasn't been good for his party. Wherever he has gone to campaign, the Congress has lost. He isn't bothered about the problems of the people of the country. He isn't aware of the situation here. He is doing this for the sake of votes," Madhya Pradesh Revenue Minister Umashankar Gupta said ahead of the Congress leader's visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are also expected to be in Bhopal on September 25. Preparations are underway to make the event a huge success state, BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said.
The ruling party had earlier disapproved of Rahul Gandhi's temple visits while campaigning in Gujarat and Karnataka and alleged that the Congress leader was playing a "soft Hindutva" card.
Congress Sankalp Yatra: Rahul Gandhi tweets ahead of roadshow in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
During his day-long visit to the state capital, the 48-year-old Shiv bhakt or devotee of Lord Shiva, as has been projected by his party workers, will seek blessings from Hindu priests and young girls before beginning his roadshow from Lalghati Chowk, located close to the Bhopal airport, which will conclude at Dussehra Maidan.
Rahul Gandhi will address a meeting of Congress workers, which is open to public, before leaving in the evening, state party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi told news agency Press Trust of India.
Read Here: A 15-km Roadshow Ahead Of Rahul Gandhi's Mega Madhya Pradesh Rally TodayFresh from his 12-day Kailash-Mansarovar trip, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will kick-start his party's campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh with a roadshow in Bhopal. Life-size cut-outs and posters with photographs of Mr Gandhi pouring holy water on Shivalinga have come up along the 15-km route that Mr Gandhi plans to cover in an open car today. Over one lakh Congress workers are expected to be in the city, a police officer said.
Ahead of Rahul Gandhi's roadshow, Congress shows Rahul Gandhi as a 'Shiv Bhakt'
Life-size cut-outs and posters with photographs of Mr Gandhi pouring holy water on Shivalinga have come up along the 18-km route that Mr Gandhi plans to cover in an open vehicle this noon.
Security reviewed ahead of Rahul Gandhi's Madhya Pradesh visit
Security has been tightened in the city in view of Rahul Gandhi's visit, Bhopal Inspector General (IG) of Police Jaideep Prasad said. "We have got an extra force of 1,500 policemen who have already been deputed," he said.
Congress has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing Rahul Gandhi as a 'Shiv bhakt'
Ahead of the visit, the Congress has put up posters and banners in Bhopal describing the 48-year-old Congress chief, who just returned from a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, as a 'Shiv bhakt'.
Congress workers are arriving from all over Madhya Pradesh to welcome the party chief and take part in the meeting. "We are expecting more than one lakh Congress cadres in the state capital," a police officer said.
Shortly after his arrival in Bhopal, Rahul Gandhi will begin an 15-kilometer-long roadshow from Lalghati Chowk, located close to the airport.
He will also seek the blessings of more than 11 Hindu priests, state party spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi told PTI on Sunday.