Looking to take on Akalis in their stronghold, the Congress might have to plead with Akali-sympathiser Pearls Group for the only suitable site, so far, where the rival held its rally a few days ago.
At the rally, the Congress also plans to coronate Captain Amarinder Singh as its Punjab party president. With the show of strength expected in first fortnight of December, the party leaders on Tuesday visited the shortlisted sites.
Congress Malwa zone in-charge Gurpreet Singh Kangar visited one on the Mansa road and two on the Goniana road. “We want to avoid holding a rally on the Pearls Group land but if we have no choice, we’ll request the investors objecting to the group to let us ask for the venue where the SAD held its Sadbhawna rally a few days ago,” he said.
Kangar said Amarinder would finalise the venue on Wednesday after his visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and complete the other formalities in a meeting on Thursday. The party is yet to decide from which districts to mobilise its workers.
The tentative date is December 13, but as teachers’ eligibility test is scheduled for that day, a decision will be taken on Thursday. “We might schedule the rally a day of two days before or after the test,” the in-charge said.
{{/usCountry}}The tentative date is December 13, but as teachers’ eligibility test is scheduled for that day, a decision will be taken on Thursday. “We might schedule the rally a day of two days before or after the test,” the in-charge said.
{{/usCountry}}Amarinder has accepted the challenge that deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had thrown at him during the Sadbhawna rally here — to hold a rally as big in Bathinda, an Akali stronghold.