New Delhi: Following Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's participation in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra, the Congress on Sunday said the I.N.D.I.A "janbandhan" is locked and loaded, ready to dispel the darkness of the "anyay kaal".
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X, saying, "Massive, enthusiastic, and energised crowds gathered in Agra to welcome Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Akhileh Yadav. The leaders garlanded the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar before taking out a historic roadshow through the heart of Agra. The I.N.D.I.A janbandhan is locked and loaded, ready to dispel the darkness of the anyay kaal."
During the yatra, Congress and Samajwadi Party supporters enthusiastically raised slogans in support of Yadav and Gandhi, while the two leaders, accompanied by Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, waved at the crowd. In his address, Akhilesh Yadav launched an attack on the BJP government, stating, "Today, farmers are standing against the government. The government is afraid of the power of farmers. In the future, the BJP will be ousted, and the I.N.D.I.A coalition government will prioritise respecting farmers", as per PTI.
Akhilesh Joining Rahul Gandhi's Yatra A Significant Boost To I.N.D.I.A
The alliance between Gandhi and Yadav marked the resolution of days of uncertainty surrounding the latter's participation in the yatra, providing a significant boost to the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), which has sealed key seat-sharing deals of late, reported PTI.
Earlier, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Saturday, reached a seat-sharing agreement for Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi, Gujarat, Goa, and Haryana. However, both parties opted to contest separately in Punjab, recognising the unique circumstances prevailing in the state. With this agreement, the Congress has completed its seat adjustments for 125 constituencies with members of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, following a recent arrangement with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, as per PTI.
However, challenges still remain as the I.N.D.I.A bloc has to work out seat-sharing deals in the key states of West Bengal and Maharashtra.