The zilla parishads, panchayat samiti polls will be held on February 7 and municipal corporations, including the country's premier civic body -- Mumbai, on February 16. "We have booked the MMRDA grounds in suburban Bandra and have sought Rahulji's time between February 6 and 8," a senior leader and member of the party's election campaign committee, said.
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The leader said the AICC general secretary's schedule in Uttar Pradesh will not be affected, if he agrees to accept the state unit's invite. "Election rallies in Uttar Pradesh are not held in the evenings. He can campaign there in the morning and then come to Mumbai in the evening," he said.
The public meeting in Mumbai will be a symbolic one, where, Gandhi can reach out to the electorate all over the state and exhort them to make party candidates victorious for the zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and municipal corporations.
Highlighting the importance of Mumbai civic polls, party sources said, late prime minister Indira Gandhi had launched the congress campaign for Mumbai civic polls in the early 80s.
Meanwhile, sources said that it is unlikely that AICC chief Sonia Gandhi will address a joint election rally with the Nationalist Congress Party.
"Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, union ministers from the state will hold joint rallies with the NCP leaders," sources added.
According to sources, NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar enjoys a good image among the rural electorate, while chief minister Chavan has a 'Mr Clean' image among the urban voters. Both the parties plan to cash on the individual charisma of the two leaders in the campaign.
