JOIN USBharat Jodo Yatra leaves Kerala, set to enter Karnataka on September 30
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Yatra left Kerala on Thursday and will enter Karnataka on Friday.
The Yatra that entered Kerala on September 11 has received huge response during the course of 18 days.
The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala had been criticising the yatra ever since it entered Kerala, citing that the Yatra with the stated mission of fighting against BJP at the Centre was touring more days in Kerala, where BJP has very little presence, compared to states like Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the political attacks, CPI(M) tried to ridicule the Yatra as a 'container yatra' and a trip to have food.
The Congress countered the attack citing that the CPI(M) was rattled over the support being received by the Yatra in Kerala.
Political analysts had said that Kerala being one of the states that contributed maximum number of MPs for the Congress in the 2019 elections, there was no surprise that the Yatra led by Gandhi, who himself is an MP from Kerala, was spending more days in Kerala as the next Lok Sabha election was hardly 20 months away. Kerala is a key state for the CPI(M) too as the party is currently in power only in the southern state.
The Yatra had witnessed participation of people from all walks of life. Women and children could be seen showing their warmth towards the Nehru scion. Gandhi also visited many key places and held talks with social, cultural leaders and civil society representatives. He also held discussions with leaders of the anti-SilverLine semi-high speed rail agitation.
The Yatra also witnessed discussions over Congress presidential polls. Leader like Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Shashi Tharoor held discussions with Gandhi in between. Gandhi also reiterated his stand not to become Congress president during a press conference conducted at Ernakulam district on September 22 as part of the Yatra.
The Yarta entered Gudalur in Tamil Nadu from Vazhikadavu in Malappuram on Thursday morning. On Friday morning the Yarta will enter Karnataka for a three-week-long leg in the state.
The Yatra that began from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 has covered over 530 kilometres so far.