Belagavi, Mar 15 (IANS): To counter the blitzkrieg election campaign of the ruling BJP, the Congress is planning a mega rally on March 20 in Karnataka, which will be attended by Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress is making an all out preparation for the programme.

Rahul Gandhi will be visiting the state for the first time after the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The mega rally is being organised at Belagavi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken part in a 10.7 km roadshow in Belagavi and evoked a good response from the people.

The Belagavi district has the biggest landscape and 18 MLAs get elected from here. The political parties are focused on winning the maximum seats from the district.

The Congress suffered a setback in the last few years as one of its influential leaders, Ramesh Jarkiholi joined the BJP. However, the deaths of BJP MP Suresh Angadi and BJP MLA Umesh Katti have proved to be a setback for the party.

Presently, Satish Jarkiholi, brother of Ramesh Jarkiholi, KPCC Working President is leading the party in Belagavi and Congress MLAs Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Anjali Nimbalkar are emerging as important leaders from the region.

After the visit of Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress is putting up the show by Rahul Gandhi to galvanise the party workers. The party is contemplating to announce a fourth major poll promise by Rahul Gandhi.

The party has already promised Rs 2,000 cash assistance for all women heads of the family in the state under the Gruhalakshmi scheme. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made the announcement for the scheme during her rally in the capital city in January. The party has also assured free electricity supply of up to 200 units to every household under the Gruha Jyothi scheme.

Sources in the Congress stated that Rahul Gandhi will make an announcement on creating a specific number of jobs or allowances for unemployed youth in Karnataka.