Omar Abdullah Joins Rahul Gandhi In Banihal As Bharat Jodo Yatra Enters Kashmir

Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah as the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Kashmir on Friday.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accompanied by National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah in in Bharat Jodo Yatra on Friday

Source : Asif Qureshi

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Friday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) from the highway town of Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen braving the chill in a T-shirt and a woolen cap, accompanied by Abdullah amid tight security. Supporters gathered in the area amid snowfall to receive Rahul Gandhi and other leaders. The Congress leader will be presented with a traditional 'Pheran' that he will wear during the BJY in the valley.

The Yatra was slated to resume on Wednesday but was cancelled due to bad weather and landslides. The foot march that passed through various districts of Jammu covered almost 90 kilometres.

J&K| Bharat Jodo yatra of Congress to resume from NH-44, Banihal Railway station, Ramban district. Security tightened in the area, Congress supporters gather, dance and celebrations underway pic.twitter.com/ww2UMr2oDh

— ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2023

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, communications, said that the yatra was a "revolutionary" change in Indian politics. "It's not an event like Narendra Modi does but a revolutionary transformation for Indian politics. This is a mass movement which will create awareness among the people while strengthening the Congress Party as well," he said.

The foot march started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and entered Jammu and Kashmir via Punjab on January 19. The marathon march will culminate with Gandhi unfurling the national flag at the party headquarters in Srinagar and addressing a grand rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium on January 30. 

Meanwhile, ahead of the NC leader ahead of joining Rahul Gandhi in BJY commented on the political situation of Jammu and Kashmir.

"It's been eight years since there have been polls in J&K. The last Assembly polls were in 2014. This is the first time that there has been such a long gap between polls here. It wasn't such a situation even during the worst days of militancy in J&K," Abdullah told news agency ANI.