Sonia Gandhi today joined her son Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Karnataka, attending a public event after a long hiatus forced by health concerns. The Congress president joined Rahul Gandhi’s march in Mandya and walked a short distance, surrounded by a large crowd of party workers shouting slogans, before getting into a car.
She is expected to address a rally in Ballary to bolster party positions in the BJP-ruled state, which will vote for a new government in a few months. She had earlier visited a temple in Begur village and offered prayers on Wednesday. The Congress tweeted a photo of Rahul Gandhi tying his mother’s shoelaces during a walk with the caption “Ma (Mother)”. The Congress’ statewide campaign, which began in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on 7 September, entered Karnataka on 30 September.
Sonia Gandhi arrived in Mysuru on Monday afternoon. This is her first public outing since contracting Covid earlier this year. She last participated in a roadshow in Varanasi in 2016. Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said it was a matter of pride for the party that Sonia Gandhi had joined the march.
“After Vijayadashami, there will be Vijaya (victory) in Karnataka. We are proud that Sonia Gandhi has come to walk the streets of Karnataka. We are coming to power in the state and BJP is on its way to close the deal.”said Mr. Shivakumar, targeting the ruling party for allegations of corruption and bribery.
Rahul Gandhi plans to walk 3,570 km across 12 states in his campaign to “unify India” and send a message against what he calls the BJP’s “divisive politics”. The campaign, which has seen Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders sleep in dumpsters, is aimed at rallying party workers after multiple defeats. The Gandhis’ march for unity comes as the Congress grapples with rifts and prepares for a landmark internal election that will produce a non-Gandhi party president after 25 years.
The Gandhis pledged not to contest the election and denied supporting Shashi Tharoor or Mallikarjun Kharge. Mr Kharge, who is close to the Gandhis, is widely tipped to be the next Congress president, although the party insists there is no “official” candidate.
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