3,500 km,12 states & 2 UTs: Congress' massive march against BJP

Congress’ ambitious 3,500 km ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ spanning 150 days against the “divisive” BJP may pass through only 12 states and two union territories but the party is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the participation of people from other states.

The party is also seeking to take on the saffron party’s nationalism plank by making the national flag the “main symbol of the yatra”, which will start from Kanyakumari on September 7 and end on January 30, the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi.

Sources said the Congress is planning marches from states not on the route that will join the main ‘yatra’ with participants carrying soil and water from their place and planting trees as they join the yatra.

Parallel ‘Samvidhan Bachao Yatras’ (Save Constitution Yatras) are also being planned across the country that will join the Bharat Jodo Yatra as it enters each state and a copy of the Constitution will be handed over. The party is also planning marches in states outside the yatra route and Meghalaya has already announced one.

Read | Congress invites members to join 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'

According to the blueprint of the yatra, sources said, special events will be organised as and when the yatra passes through prominent historic, cultural or religious places.

As per the plan, around 100 leaders and workers will walk the full 3,500 km while a group of 100 state functionaries will join them within the state. A large number of party workers will also be mobilised for the yatra in states.

Sources said the daily routine for the yatris are planned and it is likely to include ‘prabhat pheri’, flag hoisting and meetings with local activists. Programmes titled ‘Bharat ke Ratan’ (meeting with local champions) are also being planned.

During the yatra, sources said, the party has identified at least 22 cities and towns where they will have big functions, including in Kochi, Thrissur, Nilambur (Kerala), Mysuru, Bellary, Raichur (Karnataka), Nanded (Maharashtra), Indore, Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), Kota, Dausa, Alwar (Rajasthan), Delhi, Ambala (Haryana), Pathankot (Punjab), Jammu and Srinagar.

Sources said they were yet to get clearance for the Jammu and Kashmir leg and they expect it to come soon.

The Congress will unveil the logo, tagline and website for the yatra on August 23 to spread the message of the yatra. Competitions and fitness tracking as well as release of one song each month with a focus on youth.

The party is also urging the civil society to spread the word on the yatra and become part of it. Sources said Congress is looking at civil society participation in at least three ways. They could organise local marches and walk with the yatra, interact with participants during afternoon breaks and organise cultural performances by local artistes.