Rahul Gandhi asks Maharashtra Congress to get ready for civic body polls

 Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday took stock of political situation in the BJP-Sena ruled Maharashtra and asked the party's state unit to gear up for the upcoming local body elections.

On way to New Delhi from neighbouring Telangana this evening, Gandhi met Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan at Nanded airport. During the meeting, Chavan apprised Gandhi of political developments in the State, where the Congress-NCP combine was in power for 15 years before being ousted in October last year.

"Chavan briefed him about the upcoming local body polls and the preparations being done by the state unit," a MPCC statement issued here said. Gandhi asked MPCC to stay united and face the elections, it said. Elections to big municipal corporations like Mumbai, Pune and Thane are less then two years away.

Gandhi also met Congress Nanded district unit office- bearers, workers as well as elected representatives from the area, the home turn of Chavan who is the local Lok Sabha MP. AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh, MPs Raj Babbar, Sushmita Dev, Gaurav Gogoi and party leaders from Telangana accompanied Gandhi to Nanded from the neighbouring State. The Congress Vice-President was on a day-long visit to the TRS-ruled State, where he undertook a 'padyatra' (foot march) to highlight the problems of farmers.