Delhi in ‘yatra’ mode ahead of polls, Congress launches ‘Nyay Yatra’

New Delhi: With Assembly elections round the corner, Delhi has entered the ‘yatra’ mode. 

Close on the heels of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal launching the second phase of his ‘padayatra’ last Sunday, Congress on Friday launched its ‘Delhi Nyay Yatra’ while the BJP is embarking on ‘Parivartan Yatra’ later this month.

AAP hopes to reach out to people cementing the message on its government’s achievements while the Congress and the BJP are hoping to corner the Kejriwal-led government’s “failures”.

Through its programme, which took inspiration from Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress plans to reach out to voters in all 70 Assembly constituencies. Leaders hope this will rekindle Congress’ relationship with the voters, which it had lost in the past ten years.

AAP and Congress had fought the Lok Sabha polls together but chose to contest against each other in the Assembly. AAP has won more than 60 seats in the last two polls while Congress has scored zero.

The ‘nyay yatra’, which started from Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat under the leadership of Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, will be in four phases and end on December 4 after covering all 70 seats. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Sukhu and Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken were present at the launch.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi are expected to join the ‘yatra’ at later stages.

Along with the second round of ‘padayatra’, which will continue in December, AAP will also hold district conventions during which it will activate one lakh office bearers at the grassroot level for the elections. During the ‘padayatra’, Kejriwal is directly appealing people to give majority to AAP due to its developmental work.

“The padyatras are being organised to have the people connect directly with the AAP Convenor, so he can take note of their concerns, and share his vision for Delhi’s future. Kejriwal’s padyatras have already seen immense public response, with crowds turning out in large numbers to express their support in the first phase,” AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said.

AAP is also looking at inducting disgruntled but influential local  leaders from both BJP and Congress.

On its part, the BJP, which could not get into double digits in the past two Assembly elections, is organising ‘Parivartan Yatra’ which will be led by BJP’s seven MPs and other senior leaders.  BJP, this time, hopes to trounce AAP and return to power after a gap of 26 years in the capital city.

The BJP is highlighting the corruption allegations against AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.