Sonia Gandhi in Karnataka today, will she reply to Narendra Modi?

Bangalore, Sept 30:

president

will visit Mandya in

on Monday to thank voters after her party won the prestigious Lok Sabha bypoll battle against the JD(S) last month. The Congress backed up its overwhelming assembly election victory in May with the two bypoll victories in Mandya and Bangalore Rural. It will be Gandhi's first visit to the state after the resounding victories.

Gandhi reached Trivandrum in Kerala on Sunday and will reach Mysore by a special flight around 2.15 pm. She will leave for Mandya in a special helicopter at 2.20 pm and will be accompanied by Karnataka in-charge Digvijay Singh, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka state Congress chief G Parameshwar. The programme at Sir M Visves­varaya Stadiumin in Mandya will begin around 3.30 pm. Gandhi will depart from Mysore at 4.30 pm.

Sources also said that the leader could also use the opportunity to reply to the scathing attack that BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi launched against the UPA government at a mega rally in New Delhi on Sunday. She might also have a discussion with Siddaramaiah and Parameshwar to settle differences in the state unit of the party.

The Congress is banking heavily on Karnataka for a good result in the LS polls

Parameshwar and Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge came to Mandya on Sunday to take a stock of the preparations ahead of the party chief's visit. Around two lakh people are expected at the meet.

Boosted by the assembly results, the Congress is banking heavily on Karnataka to come up with a good show in next year's Lok Sabha polls. The party, which toppled the BJP from power in the state, hopes to send at least 22 members to the Lok Sabha from here. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats.

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