After Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress Mulling Another Cross-Country March From East To West: Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh said that this yatra may not have such an elaborate infrastructure that was mobilised for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and may also have less yatris.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses the Congress' 85th Plenary session

Source : PTI

New Delhi: In view of the huge response received by Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress is mulling a cross-country march from Pasighat to Porbandar, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday.

According to news agency PTI, an east-to-west yatra, probably from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh to Porbandar in Gujarat, is being considered by Congress. However, its format will be a bit different from the Bharat Jodo Yatra

"There is a lot of enthusiasm and energy. I also think personally it is needed but the format of the east-to-west yatra may turn out to be different from the format of the south-to-north Bharat Jodo Yatra," Ramesh said.

He said that this yatra may not have such an elaborate infrastructure that was mobilised for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and may also have less yatris.

Ramesh further said that it would largely be a padayatra but there are jungles and rivers on this route. "It would be a multi-modal yatra, but mostly it would be a padayatra," Ramesh said.

With the assembly elections in Karnataka in April, rains from June and state polls in November, the second march may have to be undertaken before June or before November, Ramesh said, adding that the yatra would be of a shorter duration than the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

He further said all this will be decided over the next few weeks.

Notably, addressing the Congress plenary session, Rahul Gandhi said that the party should formulate a new plan to carry forward the "tapasya" undertaken through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and that he along with the entire country will participate in it, indicating another such initiative.

Speaking at the plenary session, he said the Congress is a "party of sacrifice" and the "sacrifice and work must continue". "Please make a programme with our sweat and blood, and the entire country will be with us," he added.