Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to join Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli on February 16, as announced by party sources. The yatra, aimed at uniting India, will witness the participation of Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, likely to join in Rae Bareli on February 20.
However, in a surprising move, the Congress has decided to truncate the yatra in Uttar Pradesh, bypassing the western region and shortening its duration by five days due to ongoing board exams. Initially planned for ten days, the yatra will now span only six days in the state.
The decision to abbreviate the yatra comes amid the reports of an alliance between the Samajwadi Party ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, following the posthumous conferral of the Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, a revered Jat leader known for his advocacy for farmers' rights.
The revised route of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will commence in Varanasi on February 16, proceeding to Amethi via Bhadohi, Prayagraj, and Pratapgarh. On February 19, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting in Gauriganj, Amethi. The yatra will then advance to Raebareli, the sole Lok Sabha constituency currently held by the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, represented by Sonia Gandhi.
However, notable exclusions from the yatra route include Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Rampur, Moradabad, Sambhal, Amroha, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Hathras.
Amidst these developments, it's worth noting that Amethi holds a special significance for the Nehru-Gandhi family, despite Rahul Gandhi's loss to Union Minister Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Further itinerary adjustments include a visit to Unnao and Kanpur before the yatra proceeds to Jhansi and eventually enters Madhya Pradesh on the same day. Initially slated to remain in Uttar Pradesh until February 26, the yatra now aims to conclude earlier in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.
The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi, embarked from Manipur on January 14 and is slated to traverse 6,713 km through 110 districts across 15 states. Rahul Gandhi is expected to engage with the public and civil society members twice daily during the yatra's duration.
The yatra holds significance as it traverses 100 Lok Sabha constituencies in 15 states, symbolizing the Congress's outreach efforts ahead of the forthcoming elections.