New Delhi, Apr 11 (IANS): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will begin campaigning in West Bengal from April 14 where he will address the rallies in Goalpokhar and Matigara-Naxalbari.

The former Congress president will start the campaign after four phases of polling has ended in the state where the party is contesting on 92 seats in allianc with the Left.

The party is filled up with energy after the announcement as it was struggling to find leaders to campaign in the state as state in-charge Jitin Prasada tested positive for Covid. The only big names from Delhi who had campaigned here are Salman Khurshid and Jaiveer Shergill. Apart from them, party leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is also holding the fort in the state.

Sources said that lack of positive feedback from the state is stopping the leaders from coming here.

While the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are in direct contest, the Left is trying to win back its rural support, and the Congress is trying to retain its last tally of 44, in 2016 elections. The Congress' vote share had declined to 4 per cent in the 2019 General Elections, but it still remains an important factor in some districts such as Purulia, Malda and Murshidabad.

Sources also said that the Congress leaders were refraining from sharing the dias with the Left till elections in Kerala got over as Rahul Gandhi has been attacking them in Kerala.