Sonia arrives in Kochi on two-day Kerala visit

Kochi, Feb 14: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrived at the Naval Base airport here this afternoon on a two-day visit to Kerala. A host of senior state Congress leaders including KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Oommen Chandy and veteran leader K Karunakaran, who recently returned to the Congress after a two-year break, were present at the airport to receive the party president.

After attending a small welcome reception organised by the KPCC at the airport, Mrs Gandhi left for the state guest house. At 1700 hrs, she will inaugurate the centenary celebrations of the first farmers' strike led by Aiyyankalli, at the Marine Drive grounds here, in the only public function at Kochi.

Later in the evening, she is scheduled to have informal discussions on party matters with the state Congress leaders over dinner. After an overnight stay at the guest house, Mrs Gandhi will leave for Thiruvananthapuram tomorrow morning, where she has several public functions lined up.

UNI