New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday began his five days Karnataka tour.

Although, few partymen close to him disagree with suggestions that his tour was only linked to the coming elections, as he is the first Congress leader to visit the state after the Election Commission made it known that the polls would be held before May end.

Partymen are pinning a lot of hopes on the AICC General Secretary's tour whose recent visit to Orissa had caused quite a stir as the young Congress leader sought to reach out to the poor and the tribals.

He began his tour from the border township of Chamarajnagar. A meeting with tribals at the Vivekananda tribal centre at B R Hills was also on schedule.

He would be holding a road show across the district and reach Mysore in the evening.

On Wednesday, Gandhi would hold his road show in Mangalore and would also address a public meeting after visiting a village of fishermen in the coastal area.

On Thursday, he would meet the engineers at the NTTF near Dharawad before holding a meeting with the cotton growers and the leaders of the co-operative movement in the region.

On Friday, Gandhi has scheduled meetings in Raichur and nearby areas and would conclude the day with an interaction session with IT professional in Bangalore. Saturday is reserved for a youth rally and meeting with state Congress leaders.

"He (Gandhi) had always been stressing on youth being engines of change to bring about equality in society. It would not be totally right to say that this tour is part of the poll campaign. He would be meeting youth from all sections," said leaders in the youth Congress co-ordinating Gandhi's tour.

A 'task force' comprising more than a dozen young Congressmen chosen from across the country after several rounds of screening is already in Karnataka to coordinate Gandhi's tour. Youth Congress chief Ashok Tanwaris is also slated to accompany Gandhi along with AICC state in-charge Prithviraj Chavan.

Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy has also been holding road shows in the state.

Source : PTI