Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday joined the party's ambitious Bharat Jodo Yatra for the first time since its start a month ago with an aim to set a narrative against the RSS-BJP in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and revive the party on the ground.
She joined her son and former party chief Rahul Gandhi at the yatra near Bellale village in Mandya district's Pandavapura in the morning and walked a couple of kilometres before the latter abruptly asked her to stop walking and get into a car after he found her in discomfort.
The yatra also saw Rahul bending to tie Sonia's shoes and putting a protective arm around her as they walked, much to the treat of shutterbugs.
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Amid cheers and slogan-shouting by party workers who gathered on both sides of the roads, a smiling Sonia waved at people, as locals sought to attract her attention through cultural programmes. Sources said Sonia decided to stay back though she was to leave for Delhi in the afternoon.
The 76-year-old leader, who returned from abroad last month after a medical check-up, was to walk till Jakkanahalli with Rahul, who launched the 3570 km Kanyakumari to Kashmir yatra on September 7.
Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala and senior leaders like M Veerappa Moily were also present as the yatra moved through the JD(S) stronghold of Mandya.
Interestingly, veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who has thrown his hat in the Congress president election, was conspicuous by his absence. He was said to join the yatra but it appears that his presence could attract adverse publicity questioning Gandhis’ “neutrality” in the Congress president election appears to have prompted the leadership to keep him away from the programme.
This is Sonia's first public engagement after a long time though she has been holding internal party meetings and attending unavoidable official functions. However, she has not addressed a public meeting or campaign for a long time due to health concerns.
Sources said her last public campaign programme was a road show in Varanasi in August 2016 and during this, she had sustained a shoulder injury leading to a surgery.
Sonia reached Mysuru on September 3 and has been staying at a private resort though her initial plan was to be in Kodagu. However, inclement weather didn't allow her to go there. Rahul also joined Sonia, who returned from abroad in the third week of September after a medical check up.
Venugopal told DH that Sonia joining the yatra is historic and it will have an impact on the party cadre. Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar also echoed Venugopal and said the party's fight against unemployment and communalism gets strengthened.
Later in the afternoon, Rahul met sugarcane and paddy farmers as well as those involved with dairy cooperatives. Surjewala told reporters that Mandya is an agricultural belt and a many suicides are happening.
He said the farmers shared their concerns and issues with Rahul, who assured them that he would fight for their cause.