AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, in his bid to boost the organisational strength of the Congress in state, will kickstart a hectic three-day Bengal mission tour on September 14.
It would be his second back-to-back visit to the state within a fortnight. Mr Gandhi had addressed a public rally in the metropolis on September 6.
“Mr Gandhi would begin his tour from Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan on September 14, after which he would interact with party workers from Birbhum, Burdwan, Durgapur, Berhampur and Jangipur who wanted to contest the Youth Congress election,” state Congress president Manas Bhunia said, adding that on the same day he would visit Basirhat in North 24 Parganas and Garden Reach in South 24 Paraganas and interact with potential Youth Congress candidates. He would also address a minority convention at Garden Reach.
Later, he will also visit Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar and Balurghat on September 15. He would interact with tea and tribal workers and candidates in Jalpaiguri district.
Similar interactive session would be held at Balurghat in Dakshin Dinapur district and a scheduled caste convention in Coochbehar district on the same day.
Significantly, Rahul’s visit comes at a time when a simmering discontent is brewing within the Bengal unit over the nomination of the Pradesh Congress president. Mr Gandhi’s prescription for unity in the state party unit has apparently failed to yield the desired results.
A group of dissidents has not yet accepted the appointment of Manas Bhunia as the PCC president. Party insiders revealed that the dissident faction has even mulling to field former working president Pradip Bhattacharya as a candidate for the post of the state president.
Before leaving for Delhi Mr Gandhi would address a press conference in Kolkata on September 16 and would visit Howrah district.
“He would hold an interactive session with potential Youth Congress candidates at Howrah, Asansol and Garbeta in West Midnapore district before leaving for Delhi,” Mr Bhunia added.