Rahul Gandhi becomes mechanic to 'keep wheels of Bharat moving'

Latest pictures of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's grease-smeared hands holding a bike part at a mechanic shop in Delhi hit headlines. Taking to Facebook, the Gandhi scion said that he was learning from the hands that turn the wheels of Bharat moving. With each passing day ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi is further intensifying his public outreach by reinventing his Bharat Jodo Yatra in a variety of ways, say analysts.

New Delhi: Congress leader and former MP Rahul Gandhi joined mechanics in repairing a bike at a shop in Delhi's Karol Bagh. The Gandhi scion had grease on his hands and 'learned' from the mechanics the tricks of bringing a vehicle back into shape. As he arrived there on some sort of an extended Bharat Jodo Yatra as the Congress describes it, local traders and residents flocked and shook hands with him.

In his interactions with mechanics, Rahul Gandhi had glimpses of their work atmosphere and lent his hand in cleaning up greasy vehicle parts. After this, the Congress leader posted pictures of his interaction with the mechanics on Facebook and wrote that he was learning from the hands of mechanics who turn the wrenches and who keep the wheels of Bharat moving.

On this, the Congress party took Twitter and shared pictures of Rahul Gandhi holding greasy vehicle parts and repairing them along with the mechanics. The grand old party went on to say that these hands of mechanics create India and the grease on these clothes is our pride and self respect. Only a people's hero works to encourage them, the Congress party commented and asserted that 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' of their leader continues.

The latest post relating to Rahul's interaction with mechanics comes at a time when its online battle with the ruling BJP is hotting up ahead of the 2024 general elections. The release of an animated video by the Congress earlier raised political temperatures. The Congress is portraying Rahul Gandhi as a uniting factor by virtue of his intensive people-contact programmes like his all-India Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The Congress also showed the ruling BJP as deploying 'divisive strategies' while Rahul Gandhi replaced a 'nafrat ka bazaar' with a 'mohabbat ki dukaan'. Whereas, the BJP countered the Congress offensive by highlighting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been continuing with his mission to turn India into a five-trillion dollar economy.

During his last visit to the US, Rahul Gandhi boarded a truck of an India origin driver and travelled from Washington to New York. The Congress leader had previously taken a much publicised truck ride from Delhi to Chandigarh when he listened to the problems of truck drivers.