The Congress on Tuesday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which has completed one-third of the 3,570-km route, has achieved its desired purpose with people raising their voice against the issues of price rise, unemployment and divisiveness.
AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the yatra has so far covered four states and a total of 18 districts and will cover another eight in Telangana in the next 11 days, after which it will move towards central India. It will resume after the Diwali break on Thursday from Mehboobnagar in Telangana.
He also said the Congress will launch state-specific marches -- a 2,400-km yatra in Odisha starting October 31 from Bhubaneshwar, a 850-km yatra in Assam, and one in West Bengal starting December 28.
Ramesh said after Telangana, the yatra will enter Nanded in Maharashtra. The yatra will be in Maharashtra for about 16 days and thereafter cover Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
"After 48 days journey, 4 states, 18 districts, 4 public rallies, 35 street meetings and 4 press conferences, I can say that the desired purpose and objectives with which Bharat Jodo Yatra was started is being achieved," Ramesh told reporters.
He said 50 different organisations of the youth, women, trade unions, social workers, civil society organisations have met Rahul Gandhi during the yatra and discussed different issues.
The issues related to farmers have been raised everywhere and their plight is being highlighted, besides discussion on unemployment, he said, adding the third issue raised is of inflation, especially GST on essential commodities.
Ramesh also claimed that around 50 organisations have walked with Rahul Gandhi during the yatra and have spent time with him.
Gandhi has addressed four press conferences in these 48 days - one each in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Gandhi has so far addressed four huge rallies - in Kanyakumari, Thrissur, Bellary and Raichur, besides 35 street meetings, public meetings, small public meetings, in evenings.
"So one-third of the Bharat Jodo Yatra has been completed and the speed with which we are going, I hope that by February 20 we will reach Kashmir. It may be possible to reach even before that, but the speed with which we are going, we can say that the Bharat Jodo Yatra will be complete anytime between February 20 and 25," he said.
Ramesh said the enthusiasm of people is worth seeing and the yatra has received an overwhelming response so far.
He said the Congress organisation at the block, district and state levels has remained united and the party's cadre at the grassroots has been mobilised and are now preparing for the yatra in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to a question, he said he was hopeful that the leaders of the Maga Vikas Aghadi coalition in Maharashtra would join the yatra in the state.
Ramesh said any organisation or political party which believes in the objectives of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is welcome to join it and that in the last 48 days, many such persons and organisations have joined it.