Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra on Sunday, February 25, marking a potential step towards opposition unity ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Gandhi, addressing the gathering, referred to his previous Bharat Jodo Yatra and emphasized the importance of promoting love and unity in the face of hatred and division. He mentioned starting a "Mohabbat Ki Dukan" (Shop of Love) in a "Nafrat Ka Bazaar" (Market of Hate), highlighting the Yatra's core message.
"It's been a year since we completed the Bharat Jodo Yatra and walked 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. During that yatra, a person told me that 'you are trying to open a Mohabbat Ki Dukan in Nafrat Ka Bazaar. Now, this is what we, along with Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are trying to do again," said Congress MP.
Yadav, in his address, acknowledged Agra's global recognition as a symbol of love and expressed his appreciation for the Yatra's focus on love and democracy. He further emphasized the need to save the Constitution and fulfill Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's vision, accusing the BJP of ruining it. He concluded with the slogan "BJP hatao, desh bachao" (Remove BJP, save the country).
"I would like to thank the public...In the coming days, the biggest challenge is to save the democracy, and the Constitution, to fulfill the dreams of Dr BR Ambedkar, that has been ruined by the BJP... 'BJP haatao, desh bachao," Akhilesh said during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
The SP and Congress joining hands could pose a formidable challenge to the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, a key electoral battleground. Yadav's presence could attract SP voters to Gandhi's Yatra, potentially expanding its reach and influence.
Both leaders spoke about the importance of fighting for democracy and the Constitution, potentially uniting voters who share these concerns.