By IANS,
Kochi (Kerala) : The Kerala unit of the Congress plans to launch its campaign for the coming general elections immediately after its three-day state conference, which began here Sunday.
“With the arrival of Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday to address the conference, the stage would be set to launch our election campaign for the impending Lok Sabha poll,” Congress legislature party leader and Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy told IANS Sunday.
“Immediately after the conference, the party will reach out to the grassroots because our strength is at the lowest levels. This three-day meet would really give all of us the impetus to work for a resounding success in the Lok Sabha polls,” he added.
Sonia Gandhi will address the conference on Monday and is also slated to meet all the top leaders in the state of the parties in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
However, the delegates are disappointed that party general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was slated to participate in the conference too, is not coming.
In the May 2004 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party was virtually wiped out in the state, losing all the 17 seats that it contested. The only winning candidate from the UDF was E.Ahamed of the Indian Union Muslim League.