Galaxy of central leaders for Cong campaign in WB

Kolkata, Apr 9: Fighting the CPI(M) in Bengal for the first time with a Left-supported UPA government at the centre, the Congress has lined up a galaxy of party stalwarts for election campaigning in the state.

Topping the list of star campaigners are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who would be moving around the state before the third and fourth phases of polling, PCC President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday said.

While Dr Singh would address two election meetings, Ms Gandhi was expected to campaign for party candidates in as many as eight rallies, presumably hitting out at the CPI(M), the main rival in the state.

Besides Mr Mukherjee, who is also the Defence Minister, his cabinet colleagues Mr Kamal Nath, Mr Santosh Mohan Dev, Mr Priyaranjan Das Munshi and AICC general secretary Margaret Alva would take up the cudgels for electioneering.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her counterparts from Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh and Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad will also participate in the campaigning.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister A R Antuley and former Gujarat Chief Minister Sankarsinh Vaghela, Youth Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, Women's Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Lok Sabha member Sachin Pilot and Ms Mabel Rebello are among other central leaders who will be campaigning for the party.

UNI