Sonia is supposed to address election rallies in Shillong, Silchar, Imphal and Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. Though, a students' organization had called a bandh in Silchar, it is likely to be withdrawn.
The outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has called a bandh on April 13 in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills to protest the proposed visit of the Congress president.
The banned Khasi outfit had called for a bandh during PM Manmohan Singh's visit to Shillong to address an election rally ahead of the Assembly polls in March last year. However, the Khasi rebel outfit is under pressure from public as the day coincides with a popular Khasi dance festival Seng Kut Snem.
In Manipur, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) set up against the brutal killing of MCS officer Thingnam Kishan Singh and two of his staff has already announced a boycott of Sonia's visit. As AICC president is likely come to the state on Monday, JAC has decided to call a state-wide general strike on that day.
JAC charged her for keeping mum over the triple killing and Irom Sharmila Chanu's lone campaign against the controversial Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act. JAC convener N Michael asked whether the Centre has any hidden agenda for refusing to ask NSCN (IM) to hand over the culprits to the state, and said Sonia's proposed visit is nothing but fooling the public.
Sources in Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), however, said AICC is yet to confirm Sonia's Imphal visit.
In Shillong, the state Congress leaders are hoping that party supremo Sonia Gandhi will finally seal the deal in its favour. Though Shillong has always been its traditional bastion, the Congress is currently facing a tough challenge from the NCP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA).
Sonia is scheduled to address a public rally at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex here on Monday in support of party candidate Vincent Pala for the Shillong seat, which goes to the polls on April 16. With sitting MP and Union tribal affairs minister P R Kyndiah opting out of the elections, the Congress fielded business tycoon Pala, who, however, is a relatively unknown entity in the political and public circles.
On the other hand, the MPA has thrown its weight behind the United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate John F Kharshiing, who has a rapport with the traditional tribal administrative organizations in the state and is a well-known figure among the masses.
"Our party is sure to retain the Shillong seat, which we have represented in the Lok Sabha ever since the creation of the state and it will be no different this time. The visit of AICC president will ensure that our margin of victory will be much higher than what it was last time," a senior Congress member said.