Haath se Haath Jodo in Telangana from February 6: Revanth

Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to be invited to launch the 60-day programme

The Hath Se Hath Jodo Yatra, which is an extension of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, will be held from February 6 for 60 days in Telangana though officially it will be launched on January 26 hoisting the national flag.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy said at a press conference here that it was likely to be officially launched from Bhadrachalam or Mahabubnagar or Adilabad and the party had decided to invite both Ms. Sonia Gandhi and Ms. Priyanka Gandhi for the launch. Though initially January 26 was fixed for the yatra it was decided at the meeting to postpone it given the Union Budget and State Budget likely to be presented in the first week of February. Moreover, the finale of Mr. Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra will be held on January 30 in Sri Nagar.

The Yatra will see all the leaders taking up padayatras touching every village and household to take the message of Mr. Rahul Gandhi apart from distribution of pamphlets on the failures of both the Centre and the State government, Mr. Reddy said adding that AICC secretary A. Sampath Kumar and AICC programmes implementation committee chairman A. Maheshwar Reddy would be coordinating.

Both leaders were also present at the press conference that was held after the meeting with AICC incharge for Telangana Manikrao Thakre, who reviewed the preparations with all the senior leaders and frontal organisation heads.

Mr. Revanth Reddy said the entire cadre was inspired by Mr. Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra which will cover 3,500 km when it ends in Sri Nagar with the hoisting of the national flag on January 30. He alleged that the BJP government had used security reasons not to allow Mr. Gandhi to hoist the national flag on Republic Day on January 26 as originally planned. The Yatra started in Kanyakumari with an aim to bring people together and expose the divisive policies of the BJP government.

Stating that every Congress leader and party activist must participate in the Haath Se Haath Jodo yatra, he said abstaining from it would be viewed seriously. Initiatives like the distribution of the Haath Se Hath Jodo yatra sticker, Rahul Gandhi’s letter, and chargesheet on Modi and KCR’s failures will be given to every household.

Mr. Revanth Reddy said that Chief Minister, K. Chandrashekhar Rao promised to build the Markandeya project in Bijinepalli, Nagar Kurnool district but even soil has not been dug up so far. When the Congress leaders went to the project site to examine the progress BRS leaders attacked them physically right infront of the police personnel.