NCP, Shiv Sena extend full support to Bharat Jodo Yatra

Sharad Pawar confirmed that senior MVA leaders would take part in the march undertaken by Gandhi

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Sunday backed the Bharat Jodo Yatra being undertaken by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Both Pawar and Thackeray have confirmed that they will meet Gandhi when he enters Maharashtra, sources in the MVA said on Sunday.

The bonding assumes significance in the wake of the fact that the local bodies polls are round the corner and efforts are being made to see whether there is a pre-poll alliance between the three partners.

Also Read | Bharat Jodo meant to uplift those in distress, says Rahul Gandhi

Pawar too confirmed that senior MVA leaders would take part in the march undertaken by Gandhi.

“The yatra is a Congress’ party programme. But through this initiative, an attempt is being made to bring harmony to society. So some of us from different parties will join the yatra wherever possible when it is in the state,” Pawar said in Baramati.

Last week, a delegation of the Congress comprising AICC’s Maharashtra in-charge H K Patil, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, senior leader Naseem Khan, youth leader Suraj Singh Thackeray, separately, called on Pawar and Thackeray, and extended formal invitations.

“The response that we got from Pawar saheb and Uddhav ji is tremendous,” a senior Congress leader said, adding that Pawar’s daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule and Thackeray’s son and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray too would join and march with Gandhi.

“The opposition parties are together with Rahul ji. Today MVA is an experiment across the country which is fighting communal forces like RSS-BJP."

Gandhi is scheduled to enter Nanded on November 7 and will traverse through Hingoli, Washim, Akola and Buldhana before entering the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh on November 20.

“During the fortnight, Rahul ji would cover 382 km in Maharashtra…and he would be addressing two rallies - one in Nanded and another in Shegaon in Buldhana district,” the senior leader said.

However, whether the Pawars and Thackerays would be present in the public rallies have not yet been confirmed. “As far as attending the rallies is concerned, we have left it to their discretion but they would surely join us for the march and in a big way,” he said.