What is Congress’ 3,500 km ‘Bharat Jodo Padyatra’, is it party’s preparation for 2024 polls?
The party aims to complete about 3,500 km long yatra in 150 days, which will be led by Rahul Gandhi and joined by string of top Congress leaders over next few months.
New Delhi: Launching fresh protest & demonstration against price rise & unemployment, the Congress party is gearing up for 2 mega rallies against the Centre. The party is set to organize a nation-wide rally against soaring inflation on September 4 and launch Bharat Jodo Yatra from September 7.
The party is pulling out all stops for its ambitious 3,500 km long Bharat Jodo Yatra, through which it plans to reach out to electorate across the country and involve them in protest march against government.
The Congress party on Tuesday unveiled the logo, pamphlet & website for the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The tagline or slogan for the foot march is: “Mile Kadam, Jude Vatan”.
The itinerary of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ were laid out by Congress veterans Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh.
While launching the logo, Congress leaders said that Indian politics has become ‘polarised’ and there was a need to get rid of the ‘animosity’ that has crept in.
“We are starting this journey with the belief that the people of India want the politics of uniting, not dividing,” he was heard saying.
Which states will Rahul’s Padyatra cover?
As per details shared by the party, Rahul Gandhi’s foot march will pass through 12 states and 2 Union Territories (UTs). It also shared broad contours of the map which the party will cover. The party aims to complete about 3,500 km long yatra in 150 days, which will be led by Rahul Gandhi and joined by string of top Congress leaders over next few months.
However, this long padyatra may not cover the BJP-ruled Gujarat.
Speaking on the ambitious march, Rahul Gandhi said that he was not concerned about accompanying him during the Yatra.
Why the need for nation-wide Yatra? How Rahul explained
Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi interacted with representatives of 150 civil society organizations at Delhi’s constitutional club. Later, these bodies also announced support to Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’
“The Yatra is about reclaiming the soul of the country”, Rahul told dignitaries.
Rahul said that when all the institutions in the country are controlled by some entity, the only place where you go is public. He expressed hope that the Padyatra will usher in fresh thinking among youth and they will rise to the occasion to oppose oppressive policies of Modi government.
Is Padyatra, Congress’ gameplan for 2024 polls?
According to available inputs, the Yatra will commence from Kanyakumari on September 7 and will end in Kashmir. Under the campaign, the Congress leaders will walk a distance of about 3,500 km across 12 seats in about 150 days.
Party veteran Digvijaya Singh, who once took charge of ‘mentoring’ Rahul in grassroots politics, is the in-charge of the organising committee of Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Notably, the Padyatra plan was devised by Congress at its brainstorming session in Udaipur and has the blessings of Sonia Gandhi.
With this ambitious and elaborate plan to take on Modi government, the party hopes to regain the lost ground and expects to galvanize public support against the Centre’s ‘flawed policies’ resulting in economic distress and pain.
The recent interrogation of Sonia & Rahul Gandhi by ED also damaged patry’s reputation. Through this, the party will also seek to build emotional connect with public.