Rahul Gandhi kicks off Punjab election campaign after paying obeisance at religious shrines in Amritsar

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi kicked off party's campaign for the forthcoming Punjab Assembly elections after paying obeisance at Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir and Bhagwan Valmiki temple in Amritsar on Thursday .

Senior leaders of Punjab Congress including Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, Deputy Chief ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and OP Soni, along with Partap Singh Bajwa, MP Gurdaspur, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, MP Amritsar received Rahul at the International Airport, Amritsar, at 12:25 pm.

Both Channi and Sidhu accompanied Rahul in one vehicle to Golden Temple where all candidates of the Punjab Congress and party workers were waiting for their leader since morning.

After seeking blessing of the Almighty along with the party candidates, Rahul held a meeting with party candidates with a message 'Navi Soch, Nava Punjab' and sounded the bugle for the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections.

The Congress has announced 109 candidates for the Punjab Assembly polls. The names of candidates for eight seats are yet to be announced.

To infuse new life in the state unit of the party and its leaders, workers and supporters, Rahul Gandhi will also address the ‘Punjab Fateh’ virtual rally in Jalandhar in the afternoon before flying back to Delhi in the evening.

Sources in the party disclosed that Rahul will address lakhs of people in 117 Assembly segments through the virtual rally.

Party candidates have been asked to mobilise three gatherings of 300 people each in their respective segments and to facilitate the interaction. Huge screens have been put up at different places following COVID protocol.