Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Karnataka today

Rallies have been planned in Gundlupet, Mandya, Mysuru, Chitradurga and Bellary. It will cover seven parliamentary constituencies and 20 assembly constituencies.

Bengaluru:After winding up its Kerala leg, the Bharat Jodo Yatra, being led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to enter Karnataka on Friday. Congress, the principal opposition in Karnataka, is making final preparations to welcome the yatra and garner maximum support for it. It will enter the state through Gundlupet town of Chamarajanagar district.

Rallies have been planned in Gundlupet, Mandya, Mysuru, Chitradurga and Bellary. The yatra will enter neighbouring Andhra Pradesh state through the state's Raichur district. Party state president D.K Shivakumar, along with other leaders, is putting in special efforts to make the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a huge success.

He had toured all across the state and entrusted the leaders with specific responsibilities of gathering party workers and common people to walk with Rahul Gandhi. After successfully organising Opposition leader Siddaramaiah's 75th birthday, the party is hopeful of gaining similar momentum against the ruling BJP during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Shivakumar made an appeal to the people and party workers on Thursday to make the yatra a huge success.

"In 1947, the Congress united the whole country to get freedom. Similarly, after 75 years, we have taken a pledge for unity. The rally is the first step toward change. The voice has been raised against hate politics and arbitrary rule," he stated.

"I invite people from all walks of life, including the opposition leaders and party workers to take part in the rally. Every day we are going to cover 20 kilometers," he said. Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter the state from Tamil Nadu and will cover 511 kilometers in Karnataka.

It will cover seven parliamentary constituencies and 20 assembly constituencies. In the first phase, the rally will be held in Gundlupet, Nanjangud, Mysuru, Mandya and Melkote. Through Ranganathapura in Melukote, it will enter the Chitradurga district in central Karnataka.

The rally will also enter the Bellary district from Obalapur and it will enter Raichur in the second phase. Through the Yatra, Congress wants to galvanise support for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state in 2023. Miscreants have torn the huge flexes of Congress leaders installed on the roadsides on the Ooty, Gundlupet Road.

Congress has slammed the ruling BJP and the ruling party has quipped that it will never indulge in such lowly acts. The heat has turned on and political experts say that during the yatra, high political drama is likely to take place. (IANS)