Congress to undertake yatras in states not covered by Rahul's march

The Congress is organising Bharat Jodo Yatras in states not covered by the main walkathon led by senior leader Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday.

Ramesh announced this during the Rahul Gandhi-led yatra which entered Hyderabad on Tuesday.

On the 55th day, the Bharat Jodo Yatra is passing through Hyderabad. Telangana is the fifth state to be covered by Kanyakumari to Kashmir walkathon. It will pass through 12 states.

Jairam Ramesh said in the states which are not on the route of the main yatra, the party has started state-level yatras. On October 31, Bharat Jodo Yatra Odisha was taken out from Bhubaneswar. It will cover 2,300 km and pass through 24 districts before returning to Bhubaneswar.

The yatra in Assam started on Tuesday and in next 70 days it will cover 850 km. On December 28, the Congress formation day, the West Bengal unit of the party will start a yatra from Kolkata to Siliguri. This will cover 800 km.

"In the next few days yatras will also be undertaken in Bihar and Jharkhand," said the former Union Minister.

He said while state level leaders of the party will participate in the yatras, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Digvijay Singh, he and party MPs will also take part.

Jairam Ramesh said the main yatra will reach Maharashtra on November 7, where it will begin from Nanded.

On whether NCP leader Sharad Pawar will be joining the yatra, he said Pawar was indisposed and admitted to a hospital. He said Rahul Gandhi spoke to Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule and enquired about his health. Doctors have advised three-week bedrest to the NCP leader. Ramesh said Pawar may join the yatra wherever he wants.

To another query, the Congress leader clarified that the yatra has nothing to do with the November 3 by-election to Munugode Assembly seat in Telangana.

"This is not 'chunav jeeto yatra'. It has nothing to do with Gujarat or Madhya Pradesh elections or even 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This yatra is to fight increasing economic inequalities, social discrimination and political dictatorship," he said but hastened to add that they hope that it will strengthen the organization and party will win the elections.

Jairam Ramesh described the Gujarat model as "fake". "A state where aircraft are going to be manufactured can't make a bridge," he said referring to bridge collapse tragedy in that state.

"150 people have lost their lives. Who is responsible? Who gave the contract? It was the state government," he said.

The Congress leader also slammed the Gujarat government for taking up cleaning works at the hospital only for the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.