Rahul Gandhi to hold 'Hisab Maango' rally in Punjab on Nov 4

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address a 'Hisab Maango' rally in Punjab's Sangrur on November 4, formally launching the party's campaign for the 2027 Assembly elections, senior party leaders K C Venugopal and Sachin Pilot announced on Monday.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (Organisation) Venugopal said the Congress was confident of forming the next government in Punjab and accused the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to maintain law and order and control the drug menace.

"Our goal is to win Punjab, save Punjab from all this evil. The Congress party is very much confident that we are going to form the government in Punjab," Venugopal told reporters.

He alleged that the law and order situation in the state was "completely broken" and that Punjab was becoming an epicentre of the drug mafia.

Congress steps up poll preparations

Venugopal, who arrived in Chandigarh on Sunday evening, held a series of meetings with senior Punjab Congress leaders, district unit presidents and other functionaries to review preparations for the Assembly elections and Gandhi's visit.

"After these meetings and after getting feedback from all the leaders of our party from Punjab, I am very much confident that Congress is going to form its government in the state after polls are held," he said.

Announcing Gandhi's visit, Venugopal said the Congress leader shared a strong connection with the people of Punjab and that the November 4 rally would attract a large gathering.

"Our leader Gandhi is coming here on November 4. There will be a mammoth rally," he said.

Venugopal also claimed that Gandhi's vision and ideas were gaining support across the country, particularly among young people.

Pilot stresses party unity

Congress general secretary and Punjab in-charge Sachin Pilot said the party was united in its preparations for the elections and would hold the AAP government accountable over governance, law and order and the drug menace.

"Badlav (change) will definitely happen," Pilot said, asserting that the Congress was the only party exposing the shortcomings of the state government.

Highlighting unity among senior Punjab Congress leaders, Pilot said they had attended a lunch hosted by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.

"All leaders had lunch at Bajwa's place. I was driving the vehicle, and Venugopal ji was sitting at the front. It was Pargat's car; Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Charanjit Singh Channi were also sitting there," he said.

Pilot maintained that the entire Punjab Congress leadership had resolved to work together to strengthen the party's electoral prospects.

The display of unity comes after the Congress recently appointed Pargat Singh as Punjab unit president, replacing Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring following weeks of internal differences over the state leadership.

The leadership change assumes significance as the party prepares for the Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

Venugopal defends Kharge's remarks

Meanwhile, Venugopal defended Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge amid the controversy over his "baap" remark, which the BJP has described as an insult to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Venugopal said Kharge had referred to Modi's ideological father, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), rather than making a personal remark.

"This is an ideological attack he has done, not a personal attack," he asserted.

He also criticised the BJP over an alleged "purification" ceremony conducted by a right-wing group after Kharge addressed a gathering in Uttarakhand in August.

The controversy erupted during an event in Patna on Sunday commemorating the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar's first chief minister, Shrikrishna Singh.

While addressing the gathering, Kharge said the Congress would send those involved in alleged irregularities during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to jail.

When a member of the audience interrupted him and said Modi would not go anywhere, Kharge responded, "Modi ka baap bhi jayega."

The remark triggered criticism from the BJP, while the Congress maintained that the statement was directed at the Prime Minister's ideological position rather than his family.