MANDYA: Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday morning joined the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Mandya.
Sonia Gandhi, who had arrived in Mysuru on Monday afternoon, arrived at the starting point of the padayatra by helicopter, which resumed on Thursday on its after a two-day break for Dasara. The Yatra entered its Karnataka leg on September 30.
The Congress supremo was seen walking in the company of her son and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders. She had earlier visited the Bheemanakolli Temple in Begur village and offered prayers on Wednesday.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that it was a matter of pride for veteran Sonia Gandhi to walk on the streets.
“After Vijayadashami, there will be Vijaya in Karnataka. We are proud that Sonia Gandhi has come to walk on the streets of Karnataka. We are coming to power in the state, and BJP is on the way to shutting its shop,” said Shivakumar.
Day 29 of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ began with flag hoisting at 5:30 am at the Exhibition Grounds in Mysuru, where Bharat Yatris joined in Dasara celebrations.
“The march resumed after an hour’s bus ride to the padayatra start point near Mandya. Congress president will join around 8.00 am,” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had tweeted earlier in the morning.
The padayatra (march) is covering a distance of 25 km every day. The march aims to cover as many as 12 states in five months. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north.
According to Congress, the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is being held to combat the divisive politics of the BJP-led Centre and to awaken the people of the country to the dangers of economic inequalities, social polarisation and political centralisation.
Notably, all the party MPs, leaders and workers, along with Rahul Gandhi, are staying in containers. Sleeping beds, toilets and ACs are also installed in some of the containers. During the journey, the temperature and environment will differ in many areas. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.
The Congress suffered a debacle in the Assembly polls held earlier this year in some states and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles. (ANI)