Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is gearing up for a significant political journey with the 'Bharat Nyay Yatra,' strategically timed in anticipation of the upcoming national elections next year. Commencing on January 14, this extensive 6,200-km expedition will traverse from Manipur to Mumbai, connecting the northeastern and western regions of India. Scheduled to conclude on March 20, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, this yatra is perceived as a follow-up to his previous north-south 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' conducted last year, which the party attributed to its success in securing electoral victories in two southern states.
The 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' will span 14 states and cover 85 districts, encompassing Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Rahul Gandhi's itinerary includes a combination of bus rides and foot marches, aiming to maximize accessibility to the people. The Congress party emphasizes the participatory nature of the yatra, with the involvement of thousands of Congress workers and Opposition leaders.
The BJP, however, dismisses the significance of such yatras, asserting that the public had already rejected the earlier 'Bharat Jodo Yatra,' and coining new terms would not yield substantial results.
Rahul Gandhi's previous 'Bharat Jodo Yatra,' which spanned five months and covered a vast distance from Kanyakumari to Srinagar, had been widely credited by Congress leaders for the party's electoral successes in Karnataka and Telangana. The Congress managed to wrest power from the BJP in Karnataka and the BRS in Telangana during the elections held that year.
As Rahul Gandhi embarks on this new journey, the 'Bharat Nyay Yatra' is poised to become a crucial component of the Congress party's election strategy, aiming to engage with people across diverse regions and garner support in the lead-up to the national elections. The success of the yatra may play a pivotal role in shaping the party's electoral prospects and influence in the coming political landscape.