Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congressman Rahul Gandhi enters Maharashtra

The Congressman would walk 381 kilometres through 15 Assembly and 6 parliamentary districts during the course of his 14-day tour in Maharashtra.

As the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congressman Rahul Gandhi arrived, the entire town of Degloor in the Nanded district of Maharashtra was ablaze with mashals (flame torches).

At the enormous statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, more than 3,000 candles were lit to welcome the Wayanad MP in the manner appropriate to Maharashtrian custom.

His yatra arrived in the state from Telangana, where he conducted his 15-day walkathon.

In his speech to the large crowd, Mr. Gandhi declared that no power on earth would be able to halt the yatra till it arrived in Srinagar as planned. I won’t be discouraged by temporary obstacles brought on by hostile forces or natural catastrophes.

He made fun of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being “insensitive” and failing to rein in the growing costs of fuel and basic goods.

Slogans like “Jaat paat ka bandan todo, Bharat Jodo Bharat Jodo; Nafrat chodo, Bharat Jodo; Rahul ji tum aage badoo, hum tumhare saat hai” leased the air as soon as Mr. Gandhi set foot on Maratha territory.

Mr. Gandhi travelled nine kilometres from the Shivaji Maharaj statue to the Gurdwara Yaadgari Baba Zoravar Singh ji, Fate Singh Ji in Vanali, where he offered prayers.

The Congressman would walk 381 miles in 15 Assembly and 6 parliamentary districts during his 14-day tour in Maharashtra. Mr. Gandhi will walk 106 miles in five days through the Ashok Chavan stronghold of Nanded district. Before entering Madhya Pradesh, there would be 91 km in the Hingoli district, 54 km in Washim district, 59 km in Akola district, and 71 km in Buldhana.

Mr. Gandhi would capitalise on the unrest caused by problems such as farmer suicides, the “failure” of the current political system to assist farmers who incurred losses as a result of severe rains, unemployment, and the exodus of major companies to Gujarat, which is nearby. On November 10 and 18, he will give speeches at two public gatherings in Nanded and Shegaon, respectively.

To bring the nation together against “divisive politics,” a 150-day marathon walk covering 3,570 kilometres began in Kaniyakumari, Tamil Nadu, on September 7. It will end in Kashmir.

He was welcomed by a group of Maharashtra Congress leaders, including three former chief ministers of Maharashtra: Mr. Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, and Prithviraj Chavan, as well as CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat.

A. Revanth Reddy, the leader of the Telangana Congress, handed the national flag to Mr. Patole earlier as a symbolic gesture heralding the start of the yatra in Maharashtra.

Mr. Chavan, who organised a sizable gathering to greet visitors at the entrance of Maharashtra, was upbeat because he believed Mr. Gandhi’s walkathon in the State would boost the party’s hopes.