Rahul to visit Odisha Feb 18

Rahul Gandhi will pay a two-day visit to Odisha Feb 18-19, his first to the state after being elevated as the Congress party's vice-president, a party leader said here Tuesday.

He will reach Sambalpur, about 320 km from here via Raipur Feb 18. He is scheduled to interact with party leaders and workers at Sambalpur, a senior state Congress leader said.

After night halt at Sambalpur, Gandhi will leave for Cuttack the following morning. He is likely to hold a meeting with office bearers of all the district organisations of the party before leaving for Delhi the same day, the state Congress leader added.

The Congress is out of power in the state since 2000. In recent months, it has intensified organisational and political activities across the state in an effort to stage a comeback.