The Congress flag.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Lucknow: Struggling to remain relevant in India's politically most crucial state, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Congress on Wednesday launched a 'UP Jodo Yatra' from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur town.
UP Congress president Ajay Rai launched the 'Yatra' after paying obeisance at the famous Shakambhari Devi Temple in Saharanpur in an apparent indication that the grand old party would be following 'soft hindutva' to counter the BJP's oft-repeated allegation that it was 'anti-Hindu' and 'pro-Muslim'.
The 'Yatra', in its initial phase, would cover a total of 15 Lok Sabha constituencies spread in 11 districts of western and central regions of the state. It would traverse through Muzaffarnagar, Bijnore, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, etc. and culminate at Sitapur.
The party leaders would be offering 'chadar' at the 'mazar' (tomb) of the famous Sufi saint Hazrat Qutube Alam at Gangoh and also visit Naimisharanya, the famous Hindu pilgrimage in Sitapur district during the 'Yatra'.
The districts chosen for the 'Yatra' has a sizable population of Muslims and it is clear that the grand old party is eyeing the Muslim voters also to make a comeback in the state's electoral field.
"Muslims have been traditionally our supporters....they know that Congress is the only party which can take on the BJP at national level," said a senior UP Congress leader while speaking to DH here.
According to sources in the party, Congress leaders planned to meet influential Muslim clerics and other leaders of the community in a bid to persuade them to lend support to the party in the next LS polls due in 2024.
Although the Congress leaders said that the 'Yatra' is to "expose" the "anti-people" and "communal" politics being pursued by the BJP, sources said that it is also aimed at sending a message to the Samajwadi Party (SP), which is a member of the I.N.D.I.A alliance and a tactic to make the SP agree to give more seats to the Congress in the state in the 2024 LS polls.
Rai exuded confidence that Congress would do well in the next LS polls. "We won Telangana and though we lost in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, we remain a force there," he added.