Congress plans to hold yatras to project unity among top leaders in poll-bound states

The yatra to be launched in Congress-ruled Rajasthan on September 23 is the most significant one as it hopes to bring rivals Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot together for a cause, writes Amit Agnihotri

New Delhi:The Congress has planned yatras in four poll-bound states to project the unity factor among the top leaders and mobilise workers on the ground level ahead of the Assembly elections, which are slated in a few months. The yatra, dubbed as 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra', was launched in Madhya Pradesh and it will be taken out in Rajasthan, Telangana and Chhattisgarh soon.

In BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, though there is no dispute over the projection of state unit chief Kamal Nath as the party’s Chief Ministerial face by the AICC, the 'Jan Aakrosh Yatra' is an attempt to highlight the contribution of key leaders like Ajay Singh, Suresh Pachauri, Jitu Patwari, Arun Yadav, Kantilal Bhuria, Kamleshwar Patel and Govind Singh, who are leading the march on seven different routes that will cover over 1,000 km each.

“The aim is to cover all the 230 Assembly constituencies by October 5 before the election dates are out,” AICC secretary in-charge of MP CP Mittal told ETV Bharat. “All the seven persons leading the yatra are senior leaders and will convey a message of unity in the state team. They are just trying to channel public anger against the BJP government into supporting the Congress and charging up our workers for a tough campaign,” he said.

The yatra to be launched in Congress-ruled Rajasthan on September 23 is the most significant one as it hopes to bring rivals Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot together for a cause. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi, who had worked hard to broker peace between Gehlot and Pilot, are expected to attend the yatra launch event to present a picture of unity and send a message to the voters.

“During the yatra both Gehlot and Pilot are expected to cover around 13 districts and 35 assembly seats in the eastern parts of the state to highlight the Centre’s neglect of the ambitious ERCP water supply scheme in the parched region. Drinking water is an emotive issue for the people in the region,” AICC secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Virender Rathore told ETV Bharat.

In Telangana, the Congress is planning to launch a bus yatra in October to project unity between state unit chief Revanth Reddy and CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka on the lines of Karnataka where Kharge and Rahul were able to bring together two stalwarts like state unit chief DK Shiv Kumar, now a deputy chief minister and Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah.

“The Karnataka result will have an impact on the Telangana elections also. Plans are afoot for the bus yatra,” AICC in-charge of Telangana Manikrao Thakre told ETV Bharat. In Chhattisgarh, too, Kharge and Rahul struck a balance of power by promoting senior minister TS Singh Deo as deputy chief minister while keeping Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in the lead. Singh Deo, who had been miffed but did not air his grievances publicly, is now working closely with Bhagel to ensure a repeat of the Congress government in the tribal state. A unity bus yatra on the lines of Telangana is being planned to cover all the 90 assembly seats in the tribal state, said party insiders.