In a fresh move geared to reinvigorate the Congress party and countering the BJP’s political influence in the run up to the Parliament election, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has embarked on his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ a 6,713 km journey from Manipur to Maharashtra. Launched in Thoubal district in Manipur, the yatra is designed to traverse 15 states, covering 100 Lok Sabha constituencies before culminating in Mumbai on March 20-21.
The yatra, Gandhi’s second in just over a year, seeks to establish an alternative narrative of a “harmonious and equitable” society, countering what he perceives as the BJP’s politics of “violence, hatred, and monopoly.” Riding in a custom-made Volvo bus equipped with a hydraulic lift for on-the-go public addresses, Gandhi intends to engage with the people, listening to their concerns and building a vision for a more inclusive India.
Surprisingly, during the launch in Thoubal, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took on the BJP, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of exploiting religious sentiments for electoral gains, particularly in light of the upcoming inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Gandhi, in his address, highlighted Manipur as a symbol of the BJP and RSS’s divisive politics.
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ appears to be a calculated move by the Congress to rejuvenate its political standing. By addressing economic, social, and political issues, Rahul Gandhi aims to present an alternative vision for India, one that resonates with the aspirations of a diverse and inclusive society. The success of this yatra will depend on its ability to mobilize public support and translate the envisioned vision into tangible political momentum.
The yatra follows the Congress’ loss of three major states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh – to the BJP in recent state elections. This has set back the party’s chances to get the better of the BJP in the upcoming national elections. The fresh yatra can certainly mobilize some support for the party but would that be enough to defeat the BJP? Unlikely. The saffron party under the overarching leadership of the prime minister Narendra Modi is now more entrenched than ever. In the decade of its reign so far, the party has exhibited the singular ability to adapt, evolve and reinvent itself. Every other party including the Congress has failed to match up. Would the second yatra in a year do it for Rahul Gandhi and, in turn, for the Congress and the wider opposition? The odd are against it, as the outcome of the first yatra shows. Congress and the other opposition parties will need to do more to beat the BJP at its game.
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