Mumbai, April 12 (IANS): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior MP Rahul Gandhi will launch their Lok Sabha election campaign this weekend in the Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtra, party officials said on Friday.

First Rahul Gandhi will address a poll rally at Sakoli in the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday (April 13) for the INDIA bloc candidate Dr. Prashant Y Padole of the Congress.

On Sunday (April 14), AICC chief Kharge will reach Nagpur and address a rally for the INDIA bloc nominee Vikas Thakare of the Congress, who is pitted against the BJP strongman and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Five Lok Sabha constituencies in the eastern Vidarbha region are slated to go for polls on April 19, Ramtek (SC), Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), Nagpur, Chandrapur and Bhandara-Gondiya.

At both meetings, the Congress top brass, including state President Nana Patole, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, Congress Legislative Party Leader Balasaheb Thorat, NCP(SP) state President Jayant Patil, besides leaders of other MVA allies like Shiv Sena (UBT) and other parties’ representatives shall be present.

The eastern Vidarbha region has already witnessed campaigns by top BJP leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and others.