Bhopal:

The proposed rally of the opposition INDIA alliance in Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal in the first week of October has been cancelled, top Congress leader and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath said today. Discussions regarding the rally are going on with the Congress President and other partners of the INDIA alliance, Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said, adding that no final decision has been taken on when and where it will now be held.

The two leaders were addressing the media in Bhopal regarding the grand old party’s state-wide ‘Jan Akrosh Yatra’, which translates to public anger march, ahead of assembly elections in the state.

Seven Jan Akrosh Yatras of the Congress will start on Ganesh Chaturthi, which is on September 19, the party said. They will cover 11,400 kilometres in all 230 assembly segments of Madhya Pradesh in 15 days. The yatras will be led by senior leaders, including veteran Congress leader and leader of opposition (LoP) in the Madhya Pradesh assembly Dr Govind Singh. 

Other leaders who will lead the yatras include ex-union ministers Arun Yadav, Kantilal Bhuria, Suresh Pachouri, Congress Working Committee member Kamleshwar Patel, ex-MP minister Jeetu Patwari, and former LoP Ajay Singh ‘Rahul’.

Asked who will be the Chief Minister if Congress comes to power in the state, Congress national general secretary in-charge for MP, Randeep Surjewala, pointed towards Kamal Nath, who was seated next to him. Though the party’s top decision-making body, the CWC, will decide whether Kamal Nath will contest the elections, Mr Surjewala said.