The Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress entered Raichur, the last district on the itinerary in the State, on Friday. Congress leader and Lok Sabha member from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi, who was leading the yatra for the last one month, entered the district by walking on the steel bridge built across river Tungabhadra with thousands of supporters in the morning.
Mr. Gandhi, who had stayed at a makeshift camp near Chatnalli village in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, after paying a visit to Sri Raghavendra Swamy mutt in Mantralayam on Thursday, left for Raichur at 6.30 a.m. along with thousands of his fellow yatris. He stopped for a few minutes at Madhavaram to interact with a farmer before proceeding to Raichur. He reached the steel bridge built across river Tungabhadra at 9 a.m. and walked on it to cross over to Karnataka.
Thousands of Congress workers and Mr. Gandhi’s fans arrived from different parts of Kalyana Karnataka region were waiting with party flags, garlands and traditional musical instruments at other end of the bridge on Karnataka side since 5.30 in the morning to welcome Mr. Gandhi. As the Congress leader entered the State crossing the Tungabhadra Bridge, cheers, drum beats and whistles reverberated in the air.
Mr. Gandhi continued to lead the yatra to reach his noon destination, Gillesugur, and halted for lunch and rest. People from surrounding villages between Tungabhadra and Gillesugur villages were standing on either side of Mantralayam–Raichur Road to catch a glimpse of Mr. Gandhi who was continuously waving hands at them and walking fast under tight security cover. The farmers and labourers who were working on the agricultural fields on either side of the Raichur-Mantralayam Road were seen giving up their work and rushing towards the road to see Mr. Gandhi.
Other party leaders, including Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar, were apparently found struggling to match the walking speed of Mr. Gandhi and many leaders were even running to be on a par with him.
A group of Lambani (Banjara) women in their traditional attire joined Mr. Gandhi with a dance at Gillesugur police check-post. Traditional drums were played throughout the colourful march.
Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Priyank Kharge, U.T Khader and Krishna Byre Gowda were among the prominent leaders, apart from hundreds of activists including Yogendra Yadav, who walked with Mr. Gandhi.
Mr. Gandhi and other yatris had lunch and took rest at the make-shift shelters arranged near the Government School at Gillesugur. They resumed walking in the afternoon and, by evening, reached Yaragera where Mr. Gandhi addressed a corner meeting amid the cheering crowd.
