Congress gears up for foot march from January 5

PATNA: Apparently encouraged by Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress has announced to undertake a similar yatra in Bihar too in a bid to revive the party fortunes ahead of the next LS elections in 2024. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will flag off the ‘padayatra’ at Mandar in Banka district on January 5.
The 1,200km foot march will pass through 17 districts before culminating at Bodh Gaya, the land of Buddha, where it is likely to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi, according to a Congress press release issued on Tuesday. To make the rally a success, 25 parliamentary committees have been formed by BPCC. A route chart of the places through which the rally will pass has also been prepared.
Party leaders said either Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would address a public rally when the padayatra reaches Patna.
State Congress chief Akhilesh Singh has appealed to the people to join the padayatra in large numbers against “hatred and violence in the country spread by the BJP and the RSS”.