Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul Gandhi to undertake fresh padyatra from Gujarat to Meghalaya
1 min read 08 Aug 2023, 05:07 PM ISTThe second leg of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra will begin in Gujarat and extend to Meghalaya.
PremiumThe second leg of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is set to begin from Gujarat and extend to the northeastern state of Meghalaya. Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh had previously broached the possibility of a march from Porbandar in Gujarat to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh ‘before November’.
Confirming the news on Tuesday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole told reporters that party leaders within the state would hold a parallel march. Prominent Congress leaders will be leading the march in different parts of the western state.
The first phase had begun in September last year and culminated in Kashmir. It lasted more than 130 days later and covered 12 states and two Union Territories. Details about the new route and corresponding dates however remain unconfirmed thus far.
Earlier on Monday, the Gujarat Congress said that it had extended an invitation to the newly reinstated MP to begin his journey from the ‘land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel’.
“The second phase should begin from the state. A committee has been formed at the central level to chalk out the second phase of Bharat Jodo Yatra. Details are being finalised. Many state units have made similar or other suggestions for the second phase of the padyatra," State Leader of Opposition Amit Chavda told reporters.
ALSO READ: 'Mera ghar...': Rahul Gandhi gets his official residence back after reinstatement as MP
Fielding questions about a possible east-to-west yatra earlier this year, Ramesh however said that the format was likely to be somewhat different. It may not have such an elaborate infrastructure as was mobilised for the initial Bharat Jodo Yatra and may have less yatris. While it would largely be a padayatra, the senior politician noted that there are jungles and rivers on this route.
“It would be a multi-modal yatra, but mostly it would be a padayatra," Ramesh had said.
Citing the Karnataka elections, monsoon season and the state polls in November he had indicated at the time that the yatra may have to be undertaken before June or before November. It is also likely to be of a shorter duration that its north-south predecessor.
(With inputs from agencies)
