Bharat Jodo resumes in Bundi, women’s march set for December 12

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi is likely to be joined by All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and his mother Sonia Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, in Rajasthan’s Bundi on Saturday. | Photo Credit: PTI

After a day’s break, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday resumed the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” from Gudli village in Rajasthan’s Bundi district.

After spending his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s birthday at Ranthambore National Park in Sawai Madhopur a day earlier, Mr. Gandhi on Saturday walked for about 24 km in the march on its sixth day in the State before reaching Kodkya village for the night halt.

He interacted with sanitation workers and religious leaders during the march and walked with them for some distance. He also met a group of students, who are beneficiaries of the State government’s Anuprati free coaching scheme, during the lunch break at Arnetha village. The students are studying at the coaching institutes in Kota.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who accompanied Mr. Gandhi on Saturday, said the march was spreading the colours of the State’s cultural heritage and the people were giving their “immense blessings to the yatra”.

Hundreds of people from various parts of the State reached Bundi in the morning to join the march. A teenage girl who talked to Mr. Gandhi about her family and studies, broke down saying her father had died recently. The Congress leader asked her to have courage and assured her of all possible help.

On Monday, a day reserved for women’s participation in the march, he is likely to be joined by All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and his mother. Female public representatives, leaders and other women will accompany Mr. Gandhi in the march on that day.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Bundi, AICC general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh said the Gujarat Assembly election results would not make any impact on the “Bharat Jodo Yatra”, though there was disappointment over the party’s performance. “There were a few shortcomings in the organisation, which will be analysed in due course... Our party president knows the task,” he said.

Mr. Ramesh alleged that the government machinery was misused in Gujarat and said no action was taken on the Congress’ complaints over children being used by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the election campaign.

He said the election results had proved that the Aam Aadmi Party and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen had worked with the common objective of reducing the vote share of Congress.