Bharat Jodo Yatra: Sonia walks with Rahul in Karnataka's Mandya
Senior leader and Indian National Congress (INC) interim president Sonia Gandhi joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Thursday, and walked beside son Rahul Gandhi. Congress's 3,570-km march resumed in Karnataka's Mandya on Thursday after a two-day Dussehra break. The yatra, now in its 27th day, began from Pandavapura Taluk at 6:30 am and will end at Nagamangala Taluk by 7 pm.
Why does this story matter?
The ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra by the Congress is seen as an attempt to revive its position as the main opposition party and strengthen itself internally and externally. Marred by controversy over many senior leaders quitting the party in the last few months, the grand old party's 3,570-km yatra is expected to give it a boost ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Party president joins padayatra in Mandya
Sonia Gandhi, mired by ill-health over the last months, joined the Wayanad MP in Karnataka's Mandya district. She could be seen walking alongside local women MLAs Roopkala, Anjali Nimbalkar, and Lakshmi Hebbalkar. Per The Indian Express, she joined the padayatra at 9 am and walked for 10 minutes before retreating to her car due to health concerns. She rejoined the march after 30 minutes.
Watch: Sonia marches alongside Rahul, Karnataka leaders
'Happy to have Gandhi with us'
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar, who also walked with Gandhi, said, "We are proud that Sonia Gandhi has come to walk on the streets of Karnataka. We are coming to power in the state, and BJP is on the way to closing its shop."
First public appearance after weeks
This is the first public appearance of the 75-year-old after her trip abroad last month. She flew back reportedly after various medical checkups. Gandhi reached Karnataka on Monday and reportedly stayed in Coorg. Rahul Gandhi flew down from Mysuru to meet her, where the duo stayed there for two days, India Today reported. The mother-son duo visited Kadegadde's Kabini forest reserve on Wednesday.
Padayatra to cover 511 kms in Karnataka
After walking through Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the march reached Karnataka on September 30. It will pass through the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state over 21 days and cover 511 kilometers via Tumakuru, Ballai, Chitradurga, and Raichur. On Monday, Gandhi delivered a fiery speech in Mysuru amid heavy downpour. The speech became a highlight of the padayatra and was widely shared by Congress supporters.
