Curtains to come down on Bharat Jodo Yatra with flag unfurling, rally

Srinagar, Jan 30 (PTI) The curtains will come down on the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra on Monday with a ceremony at the party headquarters here and a rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium where several Opposition leaders are also likely to be present.

The “padyatra” concluded at the Lal Chowk area on Sunday with Rahul Gandhi unfurling the national flag but the official closing would take place on Monday in Srinagar, amid snowfall.

The yatra traversed 12 states and two Union territories in nearly five months after its launch on September 7 last year, clocking over 4,000 km.

During the course of the yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed 12 public meetings, over 100 corner meetings, 13 press conferences. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and more than 100 sitting interactions.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will unfurl the national flag at the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters and also unveil a memorial for the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The rally would take place after that.

Kharge had extended invitations to the presidents of over 20 parties, including Trinamool Congress (TMC), Janata Dal (United), Shiv Sena, Telugu Desam Party, National Conference (NC), Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nationalist Congress Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Indian Union Muslim League, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Janata Dal (Secular).

Some party leaders have expressed their inability to be present at the rally while some would send their representatives.

While parties such as NC, PDP, CPI, CPI(M), Shiv Sena and DMK are likely to have a presence at the rally, there is uncertainty over participation from parties such as SP, BSP and TMC.

Gandhi on Sunday said at a press conference here that the Bharat Jodo Yatra went from South to North but it has had a countrywide effect, and asserted that the march gave an alternative vision to the country.