Priyanka to begin Assam campaign from Monday

New Delhi, Feb 28 Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be campaigning in Assam for two days from Monday where the Congress-led alliance is contesting against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be in Assam for campaigning on 1st and 2nd March," said her office.

On the first day, she will pray at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati and attend a cultural programme.

After that she will visit Sonari Gaon Panchayat in North Lakhimpur district to address party functionaries, and will also launch a statewide protest campaign for unemployed youths in Lakhimpur.

During the day she will also visit Madhavdeb Janamsthan and Rangajaan, and will pay homage to the Kanaklata Baruah statue in Gohpur.

As the Congress has focused on the situation of the tea estate workers, Priyanka on the second day will interact with women labourers in the Sadharu tea estate. She will also pray at the Mahabhairav temple in Tezpur and will address a rally later.

Priyanka Gandhi has so far been confined to Uttar Pradesh, but is now on a full fledged campaign spree and will also travel to Kerala, Puducheryy and West Bengal, sources say, while Rahul Gandhi will hold the fort in Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, the Congress got a shot in arm after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) estranged ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF) announced to snap ties with the party and join the Congress-led grand alliance to fight the Assembly polls.

The Congress had earlier formed the Mahagathbandhan with three Left parties CPI(M), CPI and CPI-ML as well as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the Anchalik Gana Morcha, two regional parties having a political base among the Muslims and indigenous people, respectively.

The Congress and the AIUDF had fought separately in 2016, and managed 26 and 13 seats, respectively.

The BJP has decided to fight the polls in western Assam's tribal dominated Bodoland area in alliance with new ally UPPL besides Asom Gana Parishad. In 2006 and 2011, the BPF was part of the Congress-led government in Assam, but before the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, the party broke ties with the Congress.

( With inputs from IANS )