Cong chief Kharge to visit Punjab on Thursday, address Pathankot rally

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge would be on a daylong visit to Punjab on Thursday where he would meet the family members of Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary and offer his condolences.

Kharge will also participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in Pathankot and address a public rally.

Kharge, Gandhi and leaders of the Punjab Congress would address the rally in the border town of Pathankot.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Congress would thereafter enter Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress chief would return to Delhi by Thursday evening in a special flight.

Chaudhary died on Saturday after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jalandhar’s Phillaur, following which the march was halted for 24 hours.

A two-time MP, Chaudhary (76) was walking with Gandhi during the yatra when he fainted. He was rushed to a private hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance where he was declared brought dead.

Chaudhary was cremated with full state honours on Sunday at his native Dhaliwal village in Jalandhar district.