New Delhi, Nov. 17: Sonia Gandhi will kick off the Congress’s Jharkhand election campaign this Friday with a rally in Dumka where she will share the dais with new ally Babulal Marandi.

The decision to get Marandi, who has a clean image, on the stage with the Congress chief is being seen as the party’s attempt to erase some of the taint from its past association with Madhu Koda.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said the party had backed the former chief minister “in good faith”.

Sonia, who will also address a gathering in Dhanbad that day, is expected to pitch for good governance in the state, long under central rule.

Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi will also campaign, though the Amethi MP’s schedule is still being worked out. Raj Babbar, Govinda and Mohammed Azharuddin will also canvass in the five-phase polls from November 25. Pranab Mukherjee, Digvijay Singh, Ajit Jogi and Sheila Dikshit are also expected to campaign.

Jogi, a tribal leader, could attract Naxalite sympathisers, while Mukherjee and Dikshit will help shore up support among Bengali and Hindi-speaking voters, party sources said.