Pune: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently held its state convention in Pune, and the Congress party is set to respond with its own state convention.

Scheduled for August 20 in Mumbai, the Congress event will feature prominent leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge as key speakers. The convention is expected to mark the beginning of the party’s campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections.

Congress’s state president Nana Patole was in Delhi on Tuesday, meeting with party leaders to finalize details for the convention, according to sources.

The event aims to build on the momentum gained from the Lok Sabha elections, where Congress made significant gains, securing 11 MPs from Maharashtra despite having none previously.

The convention is part of Congress’s strategy to maintain this positive trend in the forthcoming assembly elections.

Mumbai, the birthplace of late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has been chosen as the venue to honor his memory. This convention is being organized to convey to voters that Congress remains a strong opposition to the BJP.

Despite challenges in recent elections and defections of several leaders to the BJP, Congress’s strong performance in the Lok Sabha has demonstrated voter support for its stance.

The state convention will also invite a wide range of party members, including former and current MPs, MLAs, and local representatives.

The Congress party previously held its centenary celebrations in Mumbai with Rajiv Gandhi, making this event the largest such gathering in recent years.

Although the exact venue in Mumbai is yet to be confirmed, options include major locations such as the Race Course or other large grounds.