While the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', which got rolling from Kanyakumari on September 7, is still in Maharashtra, the one launched parallely by the state Congress in Assam on November 1 saw thousands of leaders and workers massing in state capital Guwahati on Thursday.
Drawing inspiration from the Rahul-led nationwide march, which has already covered several states, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) launched its own 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' with the aim of covering an 834 kms across the state over 70 days.
Congress's Assam march kicked off from Golakganj in the Dhubri district, along the Assam-West Bengal border, towards Sadiya district on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
As the march rolled into Guwahati on Thursday, it was joined by thousands of Congress leaders and workers, including APCC president Bhupen Kumar Borah, AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh, Congress MPs Gaurav Gogoi, Pradyut Bordoloi and Abdul Khaleque, along with party MLAs Rakibul Hussain, Rekibuddin Ahmed, Nandita Das, Sibamoni Borah and Jakir Hussain Sikdar.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said the people of Assam want change. "This Yatra was started from Golakganj in Dhubri district on November 1 and has now reached Guwahati. It will cover 834 kms and end in Sadiya district," Singh said.
Hitting out at the ruling BJP, the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the Congress leader accused the three parties of making a 'Mahajot' (grand alliance) in Assam.
"The BJP, AIUDF and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) have entered into a 'Mahajot'. But the people of Assam now want change. In the coming days, the people give a reply to this grand alliance," Singh said.
The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Assam, will cover a 12-km distance in Guwahati ending at Chandmari in Guwahati.
On the party's Assam march, Congress state president Bhupen Kumar Borah had earlier said that the yatra will give much-needed momentum to the party in the state ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the panchayat polls, which will be held next year.
The Assam leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to cover Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.
( With inputs from ANI )
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