All set for 'grand Kerala show' from Friday

Kochi, Mar 1 (UNI) With the State Assembly elections round the corner, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) is all set to organise a massive five-day show, being billed as a curtain raiser to the polls, here from March three.

Briefing newspersons about the KPCC 'Sampoorna Samsthana Sammelan', being held after a gap of 18 years, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala today said the conclave would set the pace for the Assembly polls, due before May-end.

Virtually flagging off the Congress campaign to retain power in Kerala, party president Sonia Gandhi would address a public rally at the Kaloor Stadium here on March four.

A plethora of other senior party leaders, including Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, Ministers of State Jairam Ramesh and Anand Sharma, AICC general secretaries V Narayanaswamy and Margaret Alva, AICC Kerala in-charge Veerappa Moily, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh and popular actor and MP Govinda, would also attend the various sessions and events organised in connection with the March three-seven 'Sampoorna Sammelan', Mr Chennithala said.

Senior state Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, former Chief Minister and CWC member A K Antony and state ministers, would also be present in full force.

The meet would get off to a formal start with the flag hoisting at the Ambedkar Stadium, named 'Indira Nagar' for the meet, on the morning of March three, by Mr Chennithala. An exhibition of 'khadi' products, felicitation of veteran Congressmen and freedom fighters and a 'development seminar', would be among the other highlights of the meet.

The KPCC plenary, to be held on March seven, would be attended by Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi and Mr Vilas Rao Deshmukh, while technocrat Sam Pitroda would be the chief guest.

The plenary would consider and pass resolutions drafted and finalised by the Subjects Committees on the previous day. The resolutions would deal with major national, political, international and financial issues facing the country.

The resolutions would give a direction to the Congress workers for the Assembly elections, Mr Chennithala added.

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