“Strong Congress will be beneficial for ‘Gadkari and Rajnath’…” Cong leader Jairam Ramesh

While Congress workers appeared upbeat even amid the biting Delhi cold, BJP Minister Anurag Thakur reminded the grand old party of the renewed Covid surge across the globe and advised: "mask up".

New Delhi: As the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the national capital on Saturday, party leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at senior BJP leaders like Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh saying “a strong Congress will benefit Gadkari Ji and Rajnath Singh”.

While Congress workers appeared upbeat even amid the biting Delhi cold, BJP Minister Anurag Thakur reminded the grand old party of the renewed Covid surge across the globe and advised: “mask up”.

Walking alongside Congress MP Rahul Gandhi during the foot march, party’s General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said, “The Bharat Jodo Yatra’s result will be a ‘Majboot Congress’ (Strong Congress) and a strong Congress will be beneficial for Gadkari Ji and Rajnath Singh.” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s mass contacting campaign, Bharat Jodo Yatra, reached the national capital on Saturday morning. Rahul Gandhi’s mother Sonia Gandhi joined the yatra for the first time since it started on September 7. His sister and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and her husband Robert Vadra also joined. This will be the last day of the yatra in this phase as it goes a nine-day break till next year.

The foot march crossed into Delhi from Haryana after starting the padayatra from NHPC metro station, Faridabad around 6 am.

Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to reach the Red Fort around 4:30 pm. The Yatra will also visit Rajghat and pay tribute to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.

Several MPs of different parties will accompany Bharat Jodo Yatra today, Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed earlier.

To a question on the list of MPs joining Bharat Jodo, Jairam Ramesh told ANI that all the party leaders have been invited to join the Yatra.

“We have invited all the party leaders to join Bharat Jodo. Whoever wants to come, Nitin Gadkari wants to come, he is also welcome, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also wants to come, he is also welcome. (Former Vice) President Venkaiah Naidu, and (former President) Ram Nath Kovind are also welcome,” he said.

Jairam Ramesh also divulged that the party is mulling starting another mass contacting campaign, ‘Haath se Haath Jodo’ from January 26.

“After this, the party will start a ‘Haath se Haath Jodo’ campaign from January 26 to March 26, which will convey the message of Bharat Jodo Yatra to every booth and every block and the success the Yatra earned in the 108 days will also be spread to every booth and block during it,” Congress leader told ANI.

The yatra has been issued cautionary notes by the Centre amid a rise in Covid cases across the country.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister also launched an attack on the Congress Party and said that Covid cases are rising but Congress is bothered about only one family.

“Covid cases rising in China, Korea and Japan but Congress is bothered about only one family. It’s time to follow Covid protocol. I want to ask Rahul Gandhi, did he or other Congress leaders who came in contact with Himachal Pradesh CM who tested positive, isolate or get tested?” Thakur said on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, Delhi Police, issued a travel advisory, informing residents about route changes and traffic diversions to cater to Bharat Jodo Yatra’s Delhi leg.

“In view of the Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Indian National Congress in Delhi on December 24, 2022, traffic has been changed on various routes. Citizens are requested to avoid the affected roads and make maximum use of public transport,” the Delhi Traffic Police said.

So far, the Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7, has covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra and Haryana.

It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress has claimed.

With this yatra, Rahul Gandhi aims to mobilise the party cadre and unite the general public against the BJP’s “divisive politics in the country”.