Coimbatore/Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 18 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav is set to campaign in Coimbatore and Tiruppur alongside Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday in support of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), as the state gears up for Assembly elections scheduled on April 23.

This comes as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is also scheduled to participate in an election campaign meeting this evening at Thuraiyur in Tiruchirappalli district. The public meeting is scheduled to take place around 4 PM at a private venue.

Rahul Gandhi is expected to arrive at Tiruchirappalli International Airport from Chennai and travel by helicopter to Thuraiyur, where he will land at a helipad set up at Zamindar Higher Secondary School before proceeding by road to the venue.

During the event, Rahul Gandhi will campaign in support of nine candidates from the secular alliance contesting in various Assembly constituencies across Tiruchirappalli district. Tamil Nadu Minister KN Nehru and Perambalur MP Arun Nehru are expected to attend the meeting. According to All India Youth Congress General Secretary Vichu Lenin Prasad, all nine candidates will be present at the campaign event.

Speaking to ANI, Vichu Lenin Prasad said it was a proud moment for him as a Youth Congress leader, highlighting his journey from grassroots roles to National General Secretary. He noted that Rahul Gandhi's visit to his constituency holds special significance and that the leader will campaign for all nine candidates representing Congress, DMK, and alliance partners.

He further stated that arrangements are underway for the event, including stage preparation, auditorium setup, and installation of sheds to manage the summer heat.

Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The contest is primarily between the DMK-led SPA, which includes the Congress, DMDK, and VCK, and the NDA, led by AIADMK along with the BJP and PMK. (ANI)