Sonia to visit West Bengal before local body poll

Kolkata, April 21 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi will visit West Bengal on April 28 to campaign for her party for the local body polls in May.

"Sonia Gandhi will visit two districts, Malda and Murshidabad, on April 28. During her hurricane tour, she will hold two public meetings at Sujapur and Berhampur in Malda and Murshidabad districts, respectively," senior Congress leader and former Kolkata mayor Subrata Mukherjee told IANS.

He said the Congress supremo will arrive at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport next Monday morning and hold a meeting with senior state Congress leaders at the airport.

"She will then leave for Malda to pay homage to late Congress leader and former union minister A.B.A. Gani Khan Choudhury and also address a meeting there," he said.

"She is coming to campaign for the party before the panchayat elections," Mukherjee said, adding that Gandhi will leave for Delhi the same evening.

During her public rallies, she will also publicise the Rs.600 billion loan waiver scheme announced by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in its union budget.

The panchayat elections in West Bengal will be held on May 11, 14 and 18. Counting would be taken up May 21.