Odisha: Only a few months are left for the Lok Sabha elections to begin. In such a situation, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has started Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of more than 6,700 kilometers from Manipur to Mumbai. His journey will enter Odisha today. The yatra started from Manipur on 14 January and will end in Mumbai on 20 March. The yatra will continue in Assam till January 25 and will pass through 110 districts of 15 states. The Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will enter Odisha on Tuesday. The Yatra will enter the state from Jharkhand via Birmitrapur, a small industrial town in Sundergarh district of Odisha. The streets of this city are covered with banners, cutouts and hoardings of Rahul Gandhi.
Sundargarh district president of Congress Rashmi Padhi said that senior leaders of the state unit of Congress have gathered in Rourkela steel city, about 35 km from Birmitrapur and there is tremendous enthusiasm among the people to get a glimpse of Rahul Gandhi. Local people see him as the ‘grandson of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’. Birmitrapur assembly is represented by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but earlier candidates of Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) have been elected on this seat. Rahul Gandhi is likely to reach Birmitrapur in the afternoon. After giving him a grand welcome, the state unit of Congress will take charge of the yatra. The yatra will cover a distance of about 10 kilometers before halting at Bija Bahal area for the night.
Congress said in a statement that Rahul will resume the yatra the next day and will undertake a 3.4-km long march from Uditnagar to Panposh Chowk in Rourkela. It said he is scheduled to address a public meeting at Panposh Chowk before having lunch at Birsa Munda Ground in Ranibandh. He will also undertake a padyatra in Sundergarh city after which he will address another public meeting. He will rest for the night at Amalipali ground in Jharsuguda.
