After traversing through all the five southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana for exactly two months, Bharat Jodo Yatra spearheaded by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will enter Maharashtra on Monday evening at Madnur Naka in Deglur of Nanded district exiting Telangana from Kamareddy district.
The Maharashtra Congress has made elaborate arrangements and a massive turnout of the party cadre is expected to greet the yatra as it crosses the inter-State border and reach Madnur Naka.
However, Mr. Gandhi will take rest at a cotton ginning mill ground at Deglur and resume the yatra the day morning.
During his 14-day journey in the State, the former Congress president will walk 381 km through 15 Assembly and six parliamentary constituencies. The marathon walk will move in two batches – from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Mr. Gandhi and other participants will walk around 22 to 23 km every day, State Congress chief Nana Patole told The Hindu. He said that the party leadership is practicing brisk walk to match Mr. Gandhi’s steps and they are also preparing the cadre for the yatra.
“I’m currently in Yavatmal district. Everyday morning I’m going on a brisk walk with a group of local leaders and supporters and doing warm up exercises and push ups to keep ourselves fit for the yatra,” Mr. Patole said.
During his journey in Maharashtra, the Wayanad MP will walk through Nanded, Hingoli, Washim and Akola and Buldhana districts, before entering Madhya Pradesh on the evening of November 20.
He will cover 106 km in five days in Nanded district, a bastion of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, followed by 91 km in Hingoli district, 54 km in Washim district, 59 km in Akola district, and 71 km in Buldhana district. He will address two public rallies in Nanded and Shegaon on November 10 and 18, respectively, in addition to everyday corner meetings with locals.
The 3,570 km and 150-day-long foot march started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir.
Further, Mr. Patole said that likelihood of Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar joining the yatra on November 8 has been very thin given his present health condition. Mr. Pawar has been undergoing treatment for lung infection and fever at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital since October 31.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is yet to confirm his schedule; he is likely to join Mr. Gandhi in Akola district.
