Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Telangana

Hyderabad: Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra led by party leader Rahul Gandhi entered Telangana on Sunday, after completing the Karnataka leg of the nationwide foot march.

Gandhi was accorded a grand welcome at the Telangana-Karnataka border by Telangana Congress leaders when the yatra entered the state.

Congress Lok Sabha member and in-charge of party affairs in Telangana Manickam Tagore, state Congress president A Revanth Reddy, and a number of party leaders welcomed Gandhi. Scores of activists were present at a bridge on Krishna river at the border when the yatra marched into Telangana.

The Wayanad MP walked briefly in Telangana and took a halt at Gudebellur in Narayanpet district of the state. He left for Hyderabad by a chopper and will later fly to Delhi, Congress sources said.

After entering the state, Rahul said that the yatra is fight against hatred. Briefly addressing the crowd at Gudebellur, Rahul said that he will be listening to the problems of farmers, women and youth in Telangana. While emphasising that the yatra is against the policies of BJP government, he affirmed that it  was aimed against hatred, besides the major issues engulfing the nation, the price rise and unemployment. He wished everyone a Happy Diwali and said, "We will start our Yatra from Telangana after 3 days."

The yatra will be on break during Diwali for three days from Sunday noon till October 26.

After that, the yatra will resume on October 27 morning from Gudebellur. It will reach Makthal and continue for 16 days in Telangana, covering 19 assembly and seven Parliamentary constituencies for a distance of 375 km, before entering Maharashtra on November 7.

Gandhi will be undertaking 20-25 km 'padayatra' every day and interact with people during the foot march.

He will meet intellectuals, leaders of various communities, politicians, sports, business and cinema personalities.

Gandhi will visit some prayer halls, mosques and temples in Telangana. Inter-faith prayers will also be offered, the TPCC said.

"As the rays of the rising sun touch the ground...the sun of the Congress stepped on our soil. A ray of hope to fulfill Telangana's aspirations. I welcome our Charismatic and inspiring leader Shri Rahul Gandhi on behalf of Telangana," tweeted TPCC chief Revanth Reddy.

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh described his walking along with Rahul Gandhi as 'thrilling', while he was crossing the bridge over Krishna. "It was thrilling to walk over the bridge on Krishna connecting Raichur in Karnataka and Mahbubnagar in Telangana..." he tweeted.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra began on September 7 from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Gandhi completed the marathon walk in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka before beginning the Telangana leg of the yatra.